Integrating Technology Into the Curriculum (Practical ...

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Integrating Technology Into the CurriculumShelly Frei, Amy Gammill, M.Ed.,

and Sally Irons, M.Ed.

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Shell Education5301 Oceanus Drive

Huntington Beach, CA 92649-1030

www.shelleducation.com

ISBN 978-1-4258-0379-7

©2007 Shell EducationMade in U.S.A.

EditorMaria Elvira Kessler, M.A.

Project ManagerMaria Elvira Kessler, M.A.

Contributing ConsultantMarcia Russell, M.A.Ed.

Editor-in-ChiefSharon Coan, M.S.Ed.

Creative DirectorLee Aucoin

Cover DesignLee Aucoin

Lesley Palmer

ImagingPhil Garcia Don Tran

The classroom teacher may reproduce copies of materials in this book for classroom use only. The reproduction of any part for an entire school or school system is strictly prohibited. No part of this publication may be transmitted, stored, or recorded in any form without written

permission from the publisher.

PublisherCorinne Burton, M.A.Ed.

Integrating Technology Into the Curriculum

Table of Contents

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Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Chapter 1: Teacher as Coach, Computer as the Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Check.Your.Knowledge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Teacher.as.Coach. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Questions,.Problems,.Projects—Meaningful.

Uses.of.Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Teacher.as.Coach.in.a.Lesson.Integrating..

Technology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Computer.as.the.Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21Ways.to.Differentiate.With.Technology..

in.a.Lesson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24Chapter.One.Reflection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Chapter 2: Technology Standards for Teachers and Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

The.National.Education.Technology..Standards.(NETS). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Why.Is.There.a.Need.for.Technology.Standards? . . . 30Check.Your.Knowledge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32ISTE.National.Education.Technology..

Standards.(NETS).for.Teachers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33ISTE.National.Education.Technology..

Standards.(NETS).for.Students.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40A.Reminder.About.Standards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47Developing.Lessons.Using.Technology.Standards. . . 47Chapter.Two.Reflection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Chapter 3: Integrate Software Programs Into Your Lessons .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..55

Check.Your.Knowledge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57When.to.Choose.a.Software.Program.Over..

Traditional.Classroom.Means. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58Word.Processing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

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Table of Contents (cont.)Desktop.Publishing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62Spreadsheet.Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69Databases. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74Multimedia.Presentation.Software. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79The.Long-Term.Effects.of.Using.Software..

in.the.Classroom.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87Chapter.Three.Reflection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

Chapter 4: Use the Internet to Teach Information Literacy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

Check.Your.Knowledge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91Information.Literacy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92What.Does.the.Internet.Offer.to.Classroom..

Research? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93The.Research.Cycle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94Searching.the.Internet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95Evaluating.Website.Accuracy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99Citing.Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104Student.Projects.That.Utilize.the.Internet . . . . . . . 105Internet.Communication.Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112Chapter.Four.Reflection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

Chapter 5: Assessing Project-Based Learning . . . . . . . 121Check.Your.Knowledge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123Project-Based.Learning.and.Assessments. . . . . . . . . 124Different.Types.of.Assessments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125Project-Based.Learning.Assessments:.Rubrics,..

Portfolios,.and.Eportfolios. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126Technological.Tools.That.Can.Be.Used.to..

Assess.Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134Student.Self-Assesment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136Chapter.Five.Reflection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138

Table of Contents

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Chapter 6: Manage Your Classroom Using Technology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

Check.Your.Knowledge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140Use.Technology.to.Manage.Your.Classroom. . . . . . 141Getting.Ready.Before.School.Starts . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141Further.Ways.to.Use.Technology.in.Your..

Classroom. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142The.Use.of.Email.and.Online.Aids.for..

Teacher.Professional.Activities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148Helpful.Tips.for.Using.Computers.in.the..

Classroom. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149Chapter.Six.Reflection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153

Chapter 7: Computer Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . 155Check.Your.Knowledge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156Computer.Errors.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157A.Word.About.Networks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157First.Things.First. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158Onscreen.Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160Troubleshooting.Input.Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161Troubleshooting.Output.Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162Prevent.Common.Computer.Problems . . . . . . . . . . 168Troubleshooting.Viruses,.Spyware,.and..

Malware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170What.Should.the.Teacher.Do?—Problems. . . . . . . . 174What.Should.the.Teacher.Do?—Solutions. . . . . . . . 176Chapter.Seven.Reflection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178

Chapter 8: Professional Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179Check.Your.Knowledge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181Professional.Development.Opportunities . . . . . . . . 182Face-to-Face.Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183Professional.Organizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184

Table of Contents (cont.)

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Professional.Publications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185Online.Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187Where.Should.You.Start?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189Chapter.Eight.Reflection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191

Chapter 9: Obtain Funding for Technology Integration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193

Check.Your.Knowledge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195What.Is.a.Grant? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196Getting.Started. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196Finding.the.Money. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197Writing.the.Proposal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199Things.to.Remember. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202Chapter.Nine.Reflection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205

Appendix A: Resources for Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206

Appendix B: Rubric Resources for Teachers . . . . . . . . 207

“Check Your Knowledge” Answer Key . . . . . . . . . . . . 208

Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210

References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215

Table of Contents (cont.)

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IntroductionJump. back. in. time. to. 1992 .. What. was. your. personal.technology. experience. as. a. student. or. a. teacher?. Were.there.computers.in.your.school?.Maybe.your.school.had.a.few.Apple.II.computers.in.a.small.lab.or.in.the.library ..Students.probably.had.limited.access.to.them.and.most.likely.no.access.to.the.Internet.or.high-quality.software.programs ..

Now. jump. forward. to. 2006 .. Most. schools. have. fast.graphic-laden. computers. with. Internet. access .. Maybe.you.have.a.few.computers.in.your.classroom ..Certainly.you.have.a.television.or.access.to.one ..You.may.also.have.access.to.a.computer.projector.and.other.tools.of.technol-ogy ..What.you.may.not.have.access.to,.however,.are.the.knowledge.and.experience.to.use.these.wonderful.tools.of.technology.to.further.student.learning .

Across.the.United.States.and.around.the.globe.for.the.past.decade,.teachers.at.all.grade.levels.have.faced.a.common.dilemma:.how.to.teach.and.apply.technology.effectively.in.the.classroom ..The.solution.is.not.as.simple.as.plac-ing.a.computer.in.a.classroom.and.allowing.students.to.

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use.it ..In.fact,.there.is.a.more.exciting.prospect:.teachers.can.harness.the.computer.and.other.forms.of.technology.as.tools.for.learning ..Moreover,.this.learning.can.develop.the.higher-order.thinking.and.problem-solving.skills.that.students.will.need.to.succeed.in.our.fast-paced,.informa-tion-saturated.world .

As. a. teacher,. the. dilemma. is. threefold .. Not. only. are.teachers.expected.to.teach.students.how.to.use.technol-ogy,.but.teachers.must.also.find.ways.for.students.to.use.technology.to.learn ..Furthermore,.teachers.are.faced.with.the.task.of.utilizing.technology.for.their.own.organiza-tional.and.administrative.purposes ..Not.surprisingly,.the.technological. learning.curve.for.most.teachers. is.steep ..Teachers,.experienced.and.new,.often.feel.overwhelmed.by. the.challenges. that. technology.brings. to. their.class-rooms ..To.compound.the.problem,.teachers.must.often.learn.how.to.integrate.technology.into.their.classrooms.on.their.own.time ..

In. this.book,.we.hope.you.will.find.practical. ideas.and.resources. to. help. you. integrate. technology. into. your.classroom ..The.ideas.and.exercises.we.share.in.this.book.are. based. on. solid. research. and. proven. methodology ..There.is.no.need.to.reinvent.the.wheel ..Many.teachers.and.administrators.have.faced.this.challenge.before.you ..We.hope.to.draw.upon.their.experiences.to.enable.you.to.harness.technology.for.yourself.and.your.students .

Organization of the BookAs. you. proceed. through. the. book,. you. will. find. it. to.be. different. from. most .. Most. notably,. it. is. interactive ..Each.chapter.begins.with.a.pre-reading.review.designed.to. check. the. reader’s. knowledge,. which. will. give. you.some. insight. as. to.what. the.chapter.will. cover ..At. the.end.of.each.chapter,.there.are.chapter.reflections.to.help.you. integrate. the. addressed. aspect. of. technology. into.

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Introduction

your. classroom .. The. organization. and. elements. of. the.book.make.it.highly.valuable.and.accessible.for.collegial.professional.development.activities ..Teachers.gain.even.further. insight. by. discussing. the. material. together. and.collaborating.on.the.interactive.activities ..

Each. chapter. of. this. book. addresses. a. different. compo-nent.of.classroom.technology. integration ..Chapter One.provides.the.overall.methodology.and.vision.for.how.to.best. integrate. technology. into. your. classroom .. It. dis-cusses.the.teacher.as.a.coach.and.the.computer.as.a.tool.for. learning .. Chapter Two. focuses. on. the. ISTE. NETS.for.Teachers.and.the.ISTE.NETS.for.Students ..These.are.the.national. technology.standards. for. teachers.and.stu-dents. that.were.developed.by. the. International.Society.for.Technology.in.Education ..Chapter Three. focuses.on.software.programs ..It.presents.a.variety.of.different.ways.in. which. to. incorporate. word. processing,. spreadsheets,.databases,. desktop. publishing,. and. multimedia. into.classroom.lessons.and.activities ..Chapter Four.addresses.the. Internet.and.all. it.has.to.offer .. It.covers.everything.from.effectively. searching.and.evaluating. Internet.Web.pages. and. creating. Hotlists,. WebQuests,. and. Internet.Projects. to. communicating. through. email,. chat. rooms,.and. instant. messaging .. Chapter Five. focuses. on. using.technology. for. assessments. and. evaluation .. Chapter Six. concentrates. on. using. technology. to. assist. with.classroom. management. and. administration .. It. explores.online. and. electronic. grade. book. programs,. computer.scheduling,. classroom. layout,. and. technological. gad-gets,. with. an. emphasis. on. rubrics,. online. testing,. and.ePortfolios ..Chapter Seven.covers.the.basics.of.computer.troubleshooting .. This. chapter. outlines. the. minor. prob-lems.that.teachers.run.into.when.dealing.with.input.and.output.devices,.printers,.viruses,.spyware,.and.malware ..Chapter Eight. addresses. technology. and. professional.development .. It. showcases. the. vast. number. of. online.courses. and. tutorials. that. are. available. to. educators,.

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as. well. as. a. number. of. technology-based. publications ..Chapter Nine. covers. the. topic. of. technology. funding ..It. addresses.what.a.grant. is. and.how.to.write.an.effec-tive.proposal ..Finally,.appendices.at.the.end.of.the.book.neatly.organize.some.useful.online.student.and.teacher.resources.for.quick.reference .

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Teacher as Coach, Computer as

the Tool

Pioneers.in.the.use.of.computers.and.other.technology.in.education.have.much.to.teach.us.about.integrating.tech-nology.into.our.classrooms ..It.is.through.their.expertise,.experience,.observation,.research,.and.discussion.that.we.can.learn.how.to.best.make.use.of.the.power.of.today’s.technology.to.teach.our.students ..

Technology. in. the. classroom. is. nothing. new. to. educa-tion ..In.the.past,.computers.were.used.mainly.as.a.tool.to. teach.basic.skills. through.the.use.of.“drill.and.kill”.software ..There.is.a.place.for.those.programs.that.focus.on.basic.skills,.but.educators.are.realizing.the.potential.that. computers. have. to. help. improve. their. students’.education .

Chapter One

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Check Your KnowledgeDirections:.Evaluate.the.accuracy.of.each.statement.below ..Place.a.T.(for.True).or.an.F.(for.False).in.the.spaces.provided .

____. 1 .. The.use.of.technology.in.the.classroom.encourages.the.traditional.role.of.teacher.as.lecturer .

____. 2 .. The.use.of.technology.in.the.classroom.supports.teachers.in.encouraging.students.to.use.higher-order.thinking.skills .

____. 3 .. Technology.can.be.used.to.enhance.learning.when.teachers.put.the.technology.into.students’.hands.and.challenge.them.to.apply.it.to.solve.problems.and.complete.projects .

____. 4 .. Even.when.the.teacher.acts.as.coach,.sometimes.the.teacher.needs.to.share.important.pre-knowledge.before.a.project.is.presented.to.students .

____. 5 .. The.term.information literate.is.used.to.describe.a.student.or.teacher.who.looks.to.the.media.for.solutions.to.problems .

____. 6 .. Technology.and.popular.culture.have.slowed.down.the.delivery.of.information.and.decreased.the.quantity.of.information.available.to.students .

____. 7 .. A.teacher.who.seeks.to.incorporate.technology.into.his/her.classroom.to.develop.information.literate.students.must.provide.interesting.and.relevant.projects,.questions,.and.problems.for.students.to.undertake .

____. 8 .. Computers.are.not.teachers.in.and.of.themselves .

____. 9 .. Computers.should.be.integrated.into.the.curriculum.as.much.as.possible .

____. 10 .. The.teacher.as.coach.role.also.includes.differentiating.the.lesson.for.students.of.varied.abilities .

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Teacher as Coach, Computer as the Tool

Teacher as CoachThe.modern-day.classroom.is.now.moving.beyond.utiliz-ing.computers.to.simply.teach.students.basic.skills ..In.a.research.report.on.media.and.technology,.Thomas.Reeves.made.a.distinction.on.the.use.of.technology.by.clarifying.the. difference. between. “learning. from”. and. “learning.with”.technology ..Learning.from.technology.implies.the.computer. is. acting. as. a. tutor. delivering. instruction. on.basic.skills ..Traditionally,.this.has.been.the.way.technol-ogy.was.used.in.the.classroom ..Learning.with.computers.implies. that. the. computer. is. a. tool. to. solve. problems.where.students.must.gather,.organize,.and.analyze.prob-lems .. This. approach. supports. constructivist. teachings.and. the. idea. that. technologies. are. cognitive. tools. that.can.be.used.to.expand.on.student.learning.(Reeves,.1998) ..With.the.expectation.that.students.be.information.liter-ate,. educators. need. to. spend. more. time. designing. les-sons.where.students.are.learning.with.computers.rather.than.from.them ..Using.the.computer.as.a.tool.provides.students.with.the.opportunity.to.develop.and.use.their.higher-level. thinking. skills. to. solve. problems. that. are.relevant.to.their.daily.lives ..As.we.move.toward.the.idea.of.learning.with.technology,.teachers.are.taking.on.a.new.role. in. the.classroom ..Hobbs. (2006).points.out. in.addi-tion.to.simply.bringing.students.access.to.online.sources,.such.as.online.newspapers,.magazine.articles,.and.blogs,.K–12.educators.are.now.“involving.students.in.creating.their. own.messages.using.visual,. electronic. and.digital.media.tools”.(p ..16) ..

Technology.lends.itself.to.a.new.role.for.the.teacher:.that.of.facilitator.and.coach ..Replacing.the.traditional.model.of. a. teacher. as. a. lecturer,. the. teacher. instead. presents.students. with. challenging. real-life. problems. and. the.technology.tools.to.solve.them.(Means.&.Olson,.1994) ..It.is.significant.that.as.teachers.take.on.the.role.of.coach,.students.also.take.on.a.new.role:.that.of.active.partici-pants ..In.a.research.study.that.focused.on.project-based.

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learning.with.multimedia,.participant.teachers.reported.the.shift.in.their.roles.in.the.classroom ..They.found.they.were.less.likely.to.lecture.and.more.likely.to.facilitate.or.coach.students.(Penuel,.Golan,.Means,.&.Korbak,.2000) ..A. teacher. acting. as. a. coach. can. now. join. his/her. stu-dents. in. the. learning.process,. encouraging. them.to.use.technology. tools. to. help. overcome. any. obstacles. they.may.face.when.trying.to.find.a.solution ..In.the.end,.the.teacher.helps.students.draw.conclusions.and.assess.their.learning ..In.these.activities,.the.teacher.encourages.stu-dents.to.use.higher-order.thinking.skills.with.scaffolding.provided. through. the. highly. motivational. technology.tools .. “Teaching. higher-order. thinking. skills. involves.not.so.much.conveying.information.as.conveying.under-standing .. Students. learn. concepts. and. then. attempt. to.apply.them.to.various.problems,.or.they.solve.problems.and.then.learn.the.concepts.that.underlie.the.solutions”.(Wenglinsky,.2002,.Background.section,.para ..7) ..The.use.of.technology.supports.teachers.in.this.lofty.goal .

The. teacher. as. coach. model. is. not. new .. Most. likely.you. have. assumed. this. role. when. you. have. challenged.students.to.solve.problems.or.complete.interesting.proj-ects .. You. likely. already. know. that. cognitive. research.shows.that.learning.improves.when.students.are.actively.involved. in. learning,. working. in. groups,. frequently.interacting.and. receiving. feedback,. and. seeing. the.con-nections. to. real. life. (Roschelle,. Pea,. Hoadley,. Gordin,.&. Means,. 2001) .. What. might. be. new. to. you. is. what.experts. like. Jamie. McKenzie. have. discovered. over. the.past. decade—the teacher as coach, computer as a tool.model. is. the.best.methodology. for.effective. integration.of. technology. into. the. classroom. (McKenzie,. 2000) .. In.other.words,.technology.is.best.used.to.enhance.learning.when.teachers.put. the. technology. into.students’.hands.and. challenge. them. to. apply. it. to. solve. problems. and.complete.projects .

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Table.1 .1.summarizes.the.differences.between.the.tradi-tional.role.of.a.teacher.and.the.teacher.as.coach.model .

Table 1.1: Teacher as Coach vs. Traditional Teacher

Teacher as Coach Traditional Teacher. •. Designs.projects.and/or.problems.for.

students.to.tackle. •. Asks.thought-provoking,.open-ended.

questions.to.guide.students. •. Provides.tools.and.teaches.students.

how.to.use.them.to.solve.problems.•. Modifies.lessons.for.higher-ability.

and.lower-ability.students. •. Forms.cooperative.groups;.willing.to.

change.direction.of.lesson.based.on.student.interest

. •. Evaluates.skills,.effort,.and.knowledge.using.a.combination.of.assessment.devices

. •. Leads.students.through.self-assessment.processes

. •. Presents.information.lecture-style

. •. Demonstrates.skills.and.directs.students.to.mimic.the.steps

.•. Shows.students.how.to.solve.problems

.•. Leads.students.to.one.“right”.answer

.•. Favors.having.students.work.on.their.own

.•. Evaluates.students.almost.exclusively.with.paper-and-pencil.tests

A Word About LecturesOccasionally,.teachers.still.need.to.share.information.with.students.in.the.traditional.lecture-style ..Oftentimes,.the.teacher.needs. to. share. important. pre-knowledge.before.a.project.is.presented.to.students ..The.main.idea.of.the.teacher.as.coach.model.is.to.ensure.that.a.great.deal.of.the.instruction.is.student-centered,.with.students.being.active.problem.solvers.and.learners ..This.is.why.technol-ogy.is.so.exciting ..Technology.lends.itself.to.project-.or.problem-based.lessons .

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Helping to Create Information Literate StudentsPart.of. the. teacher.as.coach.model. is.helping. to.create.information. literate. students .. The. term. information literate. is. used. to. describe. a. student. or. teacher. who.knows. how. to. question,. think. independently,. invent,.research,.and.problem.solve ..“As.America.moves.toward.an.information.society,.critical.thinking.skills,.problem-solving. skills,. and. competence. in. information. literacy.in. order. to. process. information. become. increasingly.more.important.for.all.students”.(“Information.Literacy.in.an.Information.Society,”.1994,.p ..4) ..Technology.and.popular.culture.have.accelerated.the.delivery.of.informa-tion.and.increased.the.quantity.of.information.available.to. students .. Information. literate. students. do. not. sim-ply. regurgitate. information .. They. do. not. immediately.believe.what.they.read ..They.skim,.discriminate,.ques-tion,. analyze,. and. synthesize. information .. This. is. why.it. is. so. important. that.we.create. learning. situations. in.which. students. are. not. merely. instructed,. lectured,. or.shown.how.to.do.something ..

Internet.researcher.Dan.Tapscott.notes.that.while.much.of.the.world.is.controlled.by.adults,.with.kids.as.passive.spectators,.the.Internet.gives.students.an.opportunity.to.not.just.observe,.but.also.to.participate.(Tapscott,.1998) ..We.must.prepare. students. for.an. information-saturated.world,.a.world.where.adaptable.thinking.and.solid.prob-lem-solving. skills. are. paramount. for. success. and,. in.some.cases,.survival ..As.a.teacher,.you.have.the.unique.opportunity.to.provide.your.students.with.opportunities.to.practice.questioning.and.problem.solving,.as.well.as.using.technology.tools.to.solve.problems,.answer.ques-tions,. and. communicate .. In. this. way,. you. will. help. to.create.students.who.are. information.literate.and,.even-tually,. citizens. who. can. navigate. and. succeed. in. our.increasingly.complex.world .

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Questions, Problems, Projects—Meaningful Uses of TechnologyIn.the.past,.the.teacher.and.texts.were.the.only.sources.of.knowledge.for.any.given.content.area ..Technology.brings.more. exciting,. up-to-date,. and. diverse. materials. right.into.the.classroom.(Hawkins,.1997) ..A.teacher.who.seeks.to.integrate.technology.into.his/her.classroom.to.develop.information. literate. students. must. provide. interesting,.relevant. projects,. questions,. and. problems. for. students.to. tackle .. So. what. are. project-based. or. problem-based.lessons.that.engage.students.in.real-life.tasks.and.build.critical.thinking.skills?.Such.lessons.begin.with.a.ques-tion.or.problem.that.is.meaningful.to.students.because.it.will.send.them.on.an.interesting,.challenging.investiga-tion ..Examples.of.questions.and.problems.include:

. •. What.pattern.do.you.see.in.the.multiples.of.six?.(3rd.grade)

. •. How.are.the.oral.traditions.of.the.Ashanti.from.Africa.and.the.Pawnee.Native.Americans.similar.and.different?.(5th.grade)

. •. Why.did.kings.and.queens.live.in.castles?.(Kindergarten)

. •. Does.tap.water.have.the.same.pH.level.and.contain.the.same.metals.in.different.cities.in.the.United.States?.(6th–8th.grade)

. •. What.is.your.opinion.regarding.the.U .S ..Supreme.Court’s.ruling.in.favor.of.George.W ..Bush.in.the.2000.Presidential.Election?.(8th.grade)

. •. How.many.students.in.our.classroom.like.chocolate.chip.ice.cream?.Rocky.Road?.Mint.chip?.(1st.grade).

It. is. important. to. note. that. all. of. the. above. questions.were. formed. to.address. academic. standards.and.can.be.answered.(or.conclusions.can.be.presented).with.the.help.

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of. technology .. So,. how. can. students. use. technology. to.help.answer.questions.like.those.above?.Here.are.some.examples.of.projects.involving.technology:

. •. Brainstorm.the.answer.to.a.question.using.graphical.organizing.software .

. •. Create.a.collective.class.database.to.collect.information.on.a.history,.science,.math,.or.language.arts.topic .

. •. Discover.patterns.in.multiples.of.numbers.using.a.calculator .

. •. Research.literature,.ancient.and.modern.cultures,.scientific.discoveries,.historical.events,.mathematical.history,.famous.artworks,.geological.data,.etc .,.using.the.Internet .

. •. Participate.in.real.scientific.research.using.the.Internet .

. •. Communicate.(using.email).with.other.classrooms.across.the.United.States.and.the.world.to.collect.scientific.or.sociological.data ..

. •. Create.newsletters,.invitations,.and.posters.using.word.processing.software.to.synthesize.and.apply.knowledge.and.ideas .

. •. Construct.a.persuasive.multimedia.presentation.as.the.culmination.of.a.research.project .

. •. Use.a.spreadsheet.program.to.organize.economic.data.and.create.graphs.to.compare.that.data ..

In. the. next. section,. you. will. see. an. example. of. a. new.teacher.directing.her. students. in.a.project-based. lesson.that.incorporates.technology.as.a.tool.used.to.complete.the.project .

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Teacher as Coach in a Lesson Integrating Technology

The ScenarioSophie,. a. new. teacher,. wishes. to. address. some. of. the.technology.and.science.standards.her.district.expects.her.to.teach.her.fifth-grade.students ..She.has.two.computers.in.her.classroom.and.access.to.20.more.computers.in.a.computer. lab .. Each. computer. in. her. classroom. and. in.the. lab. has. word. processing,. spreadsheet,. multimedia,.desktop. publishing,. and. drawing. software. programs,. as.well.as.Internet.access .

The ProjectRealizing. that. being. a. new. teacher. is. a. challenge. by.itself,.Sophie.wisely.decides.to.borrow.a.lesson.idea.from.another.teacher ..In.this.case,.she.goes.online.and.finds.a.standards-based.lesson.on.an.education.website ..The.les-son.poses.the.following.question.to.students:.How.is.the.geology.of.Earth.similar.to.or.different.from.the.geology.of.the.moon?.Students.assume.the.roles.of.either.geolo-gists.or.astrogeologists.to.investigate.the.physical.char-acteristics.of.Earth.and.the.moon ..Students.are.to.work.in. pairs. and. use. their. own. observations,. the. Internet,.and. books. to. collect. their. information .. They. are. given.a.chart.which.directs.them.to.record.what.they.find.and.sources.of. information.they.consulted ..Once.they.have.collected.their.information,.students.meet.with.a.group.that.conducted.the.opposite.research.(i .e .,.the.geologists.meet.with. the. astrogeologists) ..At. these.meetings. they.discuss.what. is. similar.and.different.about. the.geology.of.Earth.and.the.moon.and.record.the.information.from.the.other.group.on.the.backs.of.their.papers ..Then,.they.are.instructed.to.create.a.table.in.a.word.processing.docu-ment.and.then.a.Venn.Diagram.on.paper.comparing.the.physical.characteristics.of.Earth.and.the.moon .

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Days One Through Five of the ProjectBefore.beginning,. Sophie.decides. to. tweak. the. lesson.a.little.to.fit.the.unique.needs.of.her.students ..She.decides,.for.example,.that.her.students.need.to.know.a.little.more.about.conducting.research.on.the.Internet.before.the.les-son .. She. spends. day one. in. the. computer. lab. showing.students.how.to.use.a.kid-friendly.search.engine.to.find.information ..She.uses.a.computer.projector.attached.to.the.teacher’s.computer.to.show.students.the.steps ..Then.Sophie.gives.them.time.to.practice.on.their.own ..

In. the. computer. lab. on. day two,. Sophie. asks. the. stu-dents. to. recall. from. previous. lessons. the. definitions.of. the. terms. geology. and. physical characteristics .. She.then.uses. the.computer.projector. to.show.the.students.pictures.of.Earth. and. the.moon ..Next,. Sophie. asks. the.students. to. spend. time. in. small. groups. discussing. and.writing. down. their. hypotheses. for. the. question:. How.is. the. geology.of.Earth. similar. to. or. different. from. the.geology.of.the.moon?.Then.she.assigns.the.pairs.of.stu-dents.to.either.the.role.of.geologist.or.astrogeologist ..She.pairs. students. who. are. more. familiar. with. technology.with.those.who.are.less.experienced ..She.asks.what.the.differences. are. between. geologists. and. astrogeologists;.students.discuss.this.in.small.groups.before.offering.sug-gestions .. She. tells. students. to. use. the. Internet. to. find.the.physical.characteristics.of.either.Earth.or.the.moon,.depending.on. their.assignment ..While. they.are. looking.for. information,. Sophie. walks. around. the. classroom,.listens.to.the.students.talking.and.working,.and.peeks.at.their. computer. screens ..She.assists. students.by. talking.them. through. any. obstacles .. She. provides. information.when.necessary.to.scaffold.the.lesson.for.struggling.stu-dents ..However,.she.resists.the.temptation.to.lead.them.directly.to.the.answers .

On.day three.back.in.the.classroom,.Sophie.provides.geol-ogy.books.of.varied.complexity.to.students.and.presses.

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them. to. find. more. physical. characteristics. of. Earth. or.the.moon ..For. those.students.with.a.complete. list,. she.challenges. them. to. choose. one. physical. characteristic,.predict. how. it. was. formed,. and. then. find. the. answer.using.a.classroom.computer.or.a.book ..After.students.are.given.a.little.time,.Sophie.then.directs.pairs.of.students.to.meet.and.share.their.research ..She.explains.that.this.is.what.scientists.do:.they.share.their.research.in.order.to.further.everyone’s.knowledge.and.build.upon.existing.knowledge ..The.pairs.then.exchange.their.research .

On.day four.back. in.the.computer. lab,.Sophie.uses.the.computer.projector.to.briefly.remind.her.students.how.to.create.a.table.in.a.word.processing.document,.which.is.a.skill.her.students.had.learned.in.a.previous.lesson ..The.students.are.creating.tables.to.display.their.research.and.the.research.of.the.other.group ..

On.day five,.students.work.by.themselves.to.create.Venn.Diagrams.on.paper,.comparing.and.contrasting.the.physi-cal.characteristics.of.Earth.and.the.moon ..Sophie.assists.students.who.need.help.to.complete.their.diagrams ..As.the.students.finish,.they.meet.with.other.students.who.are. finished. to. discuss. their. findings .. Finally,. students.explain. in. writing. how. their. original. hypotheses. were.correct.or. incorrect ..They.are.also. told. to. think.of. rea-sons. why. the. physical. characteristics. of. Earth. and. the.moon. are. similar. or. different .. Students. with. time. to.spare. are. encouraged. to. use. the. classroom. computers.and. books. to. explore. this. final. question. further .. When.everyone.is.finished,.the.class.comes.together.to.discuss.that.final.question .

Computer as the ToolIn.the.lesson.above,.you.can.see.that.Sophie.did.not.rely.on. the. computers. to. teach. her. students .. She. did. not.sit. them. down. in. front. of. the. computers. and. have. the.students.use.a.software.program.to.learn.facts.or.skills ..

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Computers.are.not.teachers ..When.technology.is.used.as.a.tool,. the.students.and.teachers.are. in.control.of.their.learning. and. the. direction. their. learning. takes .. Using.computers.as.a.tool.allows.students.to.use.higher-level.thinking. skills. to. solve. problems. (Means. et. al .,. 1993) ..The.power.of.technology.lies.with.how.the.teacher.uses.it ..As.in.Sophie’s.classroom,.the.computer.acted.as.a.tool.for.students.to.explore.and.gather.information.to.support.a. problem-based. project .. Think. of. a. computer. as. you.would.a.pencil,.ruler,.compass,.or.microscope ..We.do.not.expect. these. implements. to. teach. skills. or. knowledge.to.students ..We.use.them.with.students.as.tools.to.help.students.make.new.discoveries.and.solve.problems .

Software. that. facilitates. critical. thinking. and. higher-order. thinking. works. best. with. the. teacher. as. coach,.computer.as.tool.model ..Using.these.tools.helps.students.to.question,.plan,.gather,.analyze,.and.report ..Examples.of.these.software.programs.include.databases,.word.proces-sors,. spreadsheets,. multimedia. presentation. programs,.publishing. programs,. and. graphic. organizing. programs.(Reeves,.1998) ..See.Chapter.Three.for.more.information.on.how.to.use.these.programs.in.your.classroom .

Of.course,.there.is.an.occasional.place.for.allowing.stu-dents.to.use.computer.programs.that.help.reinforce.learn-ing.already.taking.place.in.the.classroom ..Instructional.software. programs. that. help. students. practice. math.facts.or.new.vocabulary.can.be.helpful.when.used.now.and.then ..Some.high.quality.programs,.like.The Logical Journey of the Zoombinis,.can.also.lead.students.through.problem-solving.exercises.that.involve.logic.and.reason-ing ..

When.planning.a.lesson.incorporating.software,.remem-ber.that.teaching.students.how.to.use.the.program.is.not.enough ..Think.about.why.the.students.are.using.the.pro-gram ..What.project.can.they.accomplish?.What.question.or.problem.can.they.solve.when.they.use.the.program.to.

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create.a.product?.In.the.above.lesson.example,.students.first. used. the. Internet. to. collect. information. and. help.answer. a. question .. Then. they. used. a. word. processing.program. to. create. a. table. to. compare. their. research. to.another.group’s.research .

Computers Integrated, Not IsolatedRelated. to. the.above. idea. that.computers.are. tools.and.not.teachers.is.the.important.idea.that.technology.skills.should.not.be.taught.in.isolation ..Computers.should.be.integrated.into.the.curriculum.as.much.as.possible ..They.are.best.used.by.students.to.solve.real-life.problems.and.to. complete.meaningful.projects. (Eisenberg.&. Johnson,.2002) ..A.computer.lab.full.of.computers.running.instruc-tional. software. programs,. where. students. go. regularly.to. do. drill-and-kill. exercises. is. not. a. good. use. of. such.powerful.tools ..

Research. suggests. that. when. technology. is. integrated.throughout.the.curriculum,.students.will.not.only.learn.technology.skills.but.also.content.knowledge.(Silverstein,.Frechtling,. &. Miyaoka,. 2000) .. Integrating. computers.throughout.the.curriculum.enables.students.to.develop.the. skills. needed. to. be. successful. in. the. workplace,.including. locating. and. accessing. information,. organiz-ing.data,. and.making.persuasive.arguments. (Sandholtz,.Ringstaff,.&.Dwyer,.1997) ..To.set.up.a.computer.lab.with.a.lab.instructor.who.teaches.computer.skills.in.isolation.from. academic. standards. or. meaningful. projects. is. not.an.effective.use.of.technology ..“How.can.anyone.justify.spreadsheeting.divorced.from.real.questions.as.a.worth-while. endeavor?. Or. PowerPointing?. Or. Internetting?”.(McKenzie,. 2000) .. In. the. same. vein,. do. not. be. drawn.in.(or.let.your.principal.or.lab.coordinator.be.drawn.in).by. the. temptation. to.purchase.and. follow.a.sequential,.self-contained,. isolated. technology. curriculum .. Such.programs. waste. money. and. academic. time. and. do. not.encourage.students.to.think.critically ..An.analogy.would.

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be. setting. up. a. science. tool. lab,. where. students. spend.one. hour. per. week. learning. how. to. use. microscopes,.Bunsen.burners,.pipettes,.etc .,.without.actually.making.connections.to.real.scientific.issues ..Computers,.just.like.microscopes,.should.be.used.for.investigations,.analysis,.data.collection,.and.problem.solving.in.the.context.of.a.meaningful.question,.problem,.or.project .

If.your.school.is.lucky.enough.to.have.a.dedicated.com-puter. lab. instructor,. then. he/she. should. work. closely.with. the. teacher. to. deliver. lessons. in. the. computer.lab. that. are. intimately. tied. to. what. you. are. doing. in.the. classroom .. Work. with. your. school’s. computer. lab.instructor. to. create. lessons. that. teach. computer. skills.as.a.means.to.completing.a.project.or.creating.a.product.(Eisenberg.&.Johnson,.2002) .

Ways to Differentiate with Technology in a LessonThe. teacher. as. coach. role. also. includes. differentiating.the. lesson. for. students.of.varied. abilities ..Most. classes.have. a. wide. variety. of. skill. ranges,. whether. related. to.content. skill.or. technology. skill ..Recognizing. that. stu-dents.have.differing.abilities.in.technology.and.problem.solving,.the.teacher.can.modify.the.lesson.appropriately.for. individual. students ..There.are.many.ways. to.differ-entiate. instruction. to. meet. the. varied. ability. levels. of.students ..Here.we.focus.on.the.methods.that.are.relevant.to.projects.that.incorporate.technology .

Use Student GroupingIn. the. scenario. on. the. previous. pages,. Sophie. grouped.students. in. different. ways. during. the. lesson .. Working.in. pairs. or. teams. on. challenging. projects. is. an. excel-lent.way.to.promote.learning.and.higher-order.thinking ..When.using.the.tools.of.technology.to.research.or.solve.

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problems. together,. students. will. discuss,. brainstorm,.build.on.each.other’s.ideas,.and.find.solutions ..This.col-laboration.is.teaching.them.higher-order.thinking.skills.and.the.value.of.working.together.and.will.prepare.them.for.the.world.outside.of.school ..Having.computers.in.the.classroom. actually. promotes. collaboration .. It. has. been.found. that. students. with. access. to. computers. actually.work. together. more. than. in. classrooms. without. com-puters. (Apple,. 1995) .. The. teacher. as. coach. role. means.that. the. teacher. strategically. plans. the. groups. for. any.technology.project ..At.times,.students.of.similar.ability.are.paired.or.included.in.the.same.group,.but.more.often,.students.of.mixed.ability.are.grouped.together ..Another.way. to.differentiate.using. student. groupings. is. to.have.students.work. in.pairs.or. teams. for.part.of.a.project.or.assignment.but.then.work.individually.for.other.parts.of.the.assignment ..For.example,.students.can.work.together.to.research.and.collect.data.but.work.by.themselves.to.organize. or. display. the. data .. Similarly,. some. students.can.work. in. teams.and.others.by. themselves.on.a.par-ticular.task,.depending.on.their.abilities.to.complete.the.task.alone .

Monitor Reading AbilityIn.the.teacher.as.coach.role,.the.teacher.needs.to.monitor.the.reading.ability.of.various.students.who.are.engaged.in. technology. research .. For. example,. if. students. are.using. the. Internet. to. research. a. subject,. you. wouldn’t.want. your. lowest. readers. struggling. through. a. univer-sity-level.Ph .D ..dissertation.that.they.found.online ..The.teacher. should. gently. guide. students. to. find. research.that.is.at.the.appropriate.reading.and.age.level ..Another.way. to. differentiate. is. to. provide. resources. of. varied.reading. and. complexity. levels. (Willis. &. Mann,. 2000) ..Seek. out. books. and. websites. of. varying. reading. levels.and.complexity.before.beginning.a.project.to.provide.the.necessary.resources.to.students .

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Display of Information FoundTechnology. allows. students. to. search. for. and. display.information. in. different. ways .. One. group. may. decide.to. summarize. their. information. by. using. a. word-pro-cessing.program ..Another.group.may.decide.to.create.a.chart.using.a.spreadsheet ..Another.group.may.decide.to.make.a.slide.show.presentation.of.their.information ..The.teacher.as.coach.can.encourage.creativity.in.the.display.of.information ..This.teacher.as.coach.role.also.applies.to.making.sure.students.understand.the.ethics.involved.in.using.copyrighted.material.in.their.display.of.researched.information ..

Extend the Lesson for Higher-Ability LevelsA. great. way. to. challenge. higher-ability. students. is. to.extend. a. lesson. with. an. open-ended. question .. In. the.example. lesson. above,. Sophie. extends. the. lesson. for.students.who.have.completed.their.assignments.by.pos-ing. the. question:. Why. are. the. physical. characteristics.of.Earth.and.the.moon.similar.or.different?.Students.are.encouraged. to. use. books. or. a. classroom. computer. to.explore.this.question.while.the.rest.of.the.class.finishes.the.original.task .

The.next.chapter.outlines.the.national.technology.edu-cation.standards.that.provide.the.framework.for.student.learning.using.technology .

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Chapter One Reflection. 1 .. Describe.some.of.the.differences.between.the.teacher.as.coach.and.

traditional.teacher.models.of.instruction .

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. 2 .. Describe.an.information.literate.student ..Why.is.it.important.that.students.become.information.literate?

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. 3 .. Think.of.a.lesson.that.you.have.taught,.observed,.or.read.about.that.incorporated.technology ..In.what.ways.could.this.lesson.be.modified.to.differentiate.for.lower-ability.students?.How.might.you.differentiate.the.lesson.for.higher-ability.students?

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. 4 .. Describe.how.incorporating.technology.into.the.classroom.can.help.you.provide.project-.and.problem-based.lessons.to.students .

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

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Chapter Two

Technology Standards

for Teachers and Students

The.previous.chapter.looked.at.the.overall.methodology.for.using.technology.to.enhance.students’.learning.expe-riences ..This.chapter.takes.a.closer.look.at.the.technol-ogy.objectives.that.guide.your.decisions.when.planning.lessons .

The National Education Technology Standards (NETS)Every.lesson.is.based.upon.learning.objectives ..A.teacher.generates. learning. objectives. in. order. to. help. students.achieve. mastery. in. the. content. standards. required. for.a.particular.curriculum.area.by.the.district.or.the.state ..

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Sometimes,. the. standards. come. from. professional. edu-cational.organizations.such.as.the.International.Society.for. Technology. in. Education. (ISTE) .. ISTE. developed.standards. for. technology. education. called. the. National.Educational. Technology. Standards. (NETS). that. set. the.bar.for.schools.across.the.nation ..According.to.the.ISTE.website,.as.of.May.19,.2004,.48.out.of.50.states,.and.the.District. of. Columbia,. have. adopted,. adapted,. or. refer-enced. the. National. Educational. Technology. Standards.for. Teachers,. Students,. and. Administrators. in. their.states’.technology.plans,.within.their.curriculum.devel-opment,.and.in.other.state.documents ..

The.National.Educational.Technology.Standards.explain.what. teachers,. administrators,. and. students. should.know.and.be.able.to.do.with.regard.to.technology ..Use.the. NETS. for. Teachers. to. guide. your. own. professional.development ..The.NETS.for.Teachers.will.tell.you.what.you. need. to. know. to. successfully. integrate. technology.into.your.classroom ..Use.the.NETS.for.Students.in.con-junction.with.your.district.or.state.technology.standards.to.plan.your.lessons.and.assess.your.students ..

Why Is There a Need for Technology Standards?At. a. time. when. most. states. are. requiring. teachers. to.adapt. to. standard-driven. education. in. all. subject. areas,.there.is.a.call.for.technology.to.be.included.as.well ..The.CEO. Forum. on. Education. and. Technology,. a. partner-ship.of.business.and.education.leaders.founded.in.1996,.spent.five.years.analyzing.how.well.the.educational.field.integrated.technology.into.its.curriculum ..Agreeing.that.there.was.a.critical.need.for.students.to.be.on.the.fore-front. of. the. newest. technology. available,. they. offered.the. following. recommendations. to. federal. policymak-ers ..The.policy.paper.requested.that.the.Department.of.Education. include.technology. into.standards-based.cur-

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Technology Standards for Teachers and Students

riculum,.expand.federal.support. for. technology. integra-tion,.and.continue.to.research.the.development.and.dis-semination.of.technological.advances ..“The.Department.of.Education.should.establish.accountability.models.for.the.inclusion.of.21st.century.skills.as.an.additional.disci-pline”.(CEO.Forum,.2001,.p ..5) ..By.creating.the.account-ability.that.standards.provide,.students.receive.the.nec-essary.skills.to.become.global.citizens.for.the.future ..Jan.Hawkins,.who.served.as.director.for.a.nonprofit.research.group. called. the. Center. for. Children. and. Technology.in.New.York,.noted.that.there.is.a.need.for.the.schools.to. catch.up.with. technology.use. in. the.business.world.(Hawkins,.1997) ..She.made.an.appeal.for.accountability.because.of. the. types.of. technology-based. jobs. available.at.that.time ..The.rise.of.the.technology-based.job.market.has.only.grown.since.then ..The.inclusion.of.technology.standards. in. the. curriculum. is. indispensable. to.prepar-ing.students.of.all.ages. for.the.real.world,.especially.as.technology.develops.even.further .

This.chapter.takes.a.detailed.look.at.the.ISTE.NETS.for.Teachers.and.the.ISTE.NETS.for.Students ..You.will.also.have.the.opportunity.to.evaluate.your.own.skills.and.to.compare. them. against. the. standards. for. teachers .. You.will.be.asked.to. review.the.student.standards.and.esti-mate.the.proficiency.level.of.a.group.of.students.that.you.either.work.with.or.have.worked.with.in.the.past ..Before.you.begin.reading.about.the.ISTE.NETS.for.Teachers.and.Students,.assess.your.knowledge.of.the.technology.skills.in.the.ISTE.NETS.and.your.knowledge.of.the.use.of.tech-nology.standards.in.education .

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Check Your KnowledgeDirections:.Evaluate.the.accuracy.of.each.statement.below ..Place.a.T.(for.True).or.an.F.(for.False).in.the.space.provided .

____. 1 .. Teachers.of.all.grade.levels.must.design.and.teach.technology-enhanced.lessons.that.incorporate.the.student.technology.standards .

____. 2 .. Technology.standards.are.used.as.guidelines.to.ensure.that.teachers.and.students.have.important.technology.skills .

____. 3 .. Teachers.should.remain.current.on.their.school.district’s.Acceptable.Use.Policy.and.other.ethical.policies.that.focus.on.educational.technology .

____. 4 .. PreK–12th.grade.students.need.to.understand.the.ethical.uses.of.technology .

____. 5 .. Teachers.should.incorporate.technology.as.a.separate.time.period.in.the.school.day .

____. 6 .. All.PreK–12th.grade.students.should.be.able.to.generate.a.developmentally.appropriate.word.processor.document .

____. 7 .. The.student.performance.indicators,.which.come.from.the.ISTE.NETS.for.Students,.should.be.the.same.for.all.grade.levels .

____. 8 .. Collaboration.is.not.an.important.component.of.the.ISTE.NETS.for.Students.performance.indicators.for.PreK–12th.grade.students .

____. 9 .. There.are.very.few.resources.for.teachers.who.are.trying.to.develop.lessons.based.on.the.ISTE.NETS.for.Students .

____. 10 .. Teachers.should.ignore.their.own.district.or.state.technology.standards.and.instead.use.the.ISTE.NETS.to.develop.lessons.and.assess.students .

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ISTE National Education Technology Standards (NETS) for TeachersThe. International. Society. of. Technology. Educators.(ISTE),.with.the.help.of.a.consortium.of.other.stakehold-ers,. developed. the. National. Educational. Technology.Standards.for.Teachers.(NETS.for.Teachers).in.the.early.1990s .. The. ISTE. NETS. for. teachers. was. developed. to.ensure.that.educators.have.a.solid.foundation.in.technol-ogy.in.order.to.be.effective.teachers.of.technology ..It.is.ISTE’s.continued.belief. that.“[t]oday’s.classroom.teach-ers. must. be. prepared. to. provide. technology-supported.learning.opportunities.for.their.students ..Being.prepared.to.use.technology.and.knowing.how.that.technology.can.support. student. learning. must. become. integral. skills.in. every. teacher’s. professional. repertoire”. (ISTE,. 2002,..p ..4) ..It.is.extremely.important.that.teachers.realize.that.there.are.technology.standards.to.which.they.must.hold.themselves.accountable ..

Let’s. take. a. closer. look. at. the. NETS. for. teachers .. The.NETS.for.teachers.are.organized.into.six.categories:

. 1 .. Technology Operations and Concepts..These.standards.address.the.teacher’s.understanding.of.basic.technology.issues.and.ability.to.learn.about.technology.as.it.changes.and.develops .

. 2 .. Planning and Designing Learning Environments and Experiences..These.standards.address.the.teacher’s.ability.to.create.effective.learning.environments.that.utilize.technology .

. 3 .. Teaching, Learning, and the Curriculum..These.standards.address.the.teacher’s.ability.to.use.appropriate.strategies.to.maximize.student.learning.experiences.while.using.technology .

. 4 .. Assessment and Evaluation..These.standards.address.the.teacher’s.ability.to.use.technology.in.the.assessment.of.students .

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. 5 .. Productivity and Professional Practice..These.standards.address.the.teacher’s.ability.to.use.technology.in.professional.activities,.including.further.professional.development.and.communication.with.colleagues,.parents,.and.the.community .

. 6 .. Social, Ethical, Legal, and Human Issues..These.standards.address.the.teacher’s.ability.to.adhere.to.the.social,.ethical,.legal,.and.human.issues.surrounding.technology.use.in.schools .

Each.of.the.six.standards.areas.is.broken.down.into.per-formance.indicators.that.more.specifically.explain.profi-ciency.in.that.area ..A.complete.description.of.the.differ-ent.standards,.performance.indicators,.and.performance.profiles.can.be.found.on.the.ISTE.website.(http://www.iste.org) .

More Than Technology SkillsNotice.that.there.is.much.more.to.the.NETS.for.teachers.than. possessing. key. technology. skills .. To. be. proficient.in.the.NETS.for.teachers,.you.must.be.able.to.plan.and.execute. lessons. involving.meaningful.uses.of. technolo-gy ..You.must.also.be.able.to.assess.student.proficiency.in.technology.and.use.technological.tools.to.assess.students ..Furthermore,.you.must.use. technology.to.help.manage.your. classroom. and. accomplish. organizational. tasks ..Finally,.you.must.be.aware.and.apply.your.understanding.of.the.social,.ethical,.legal,.and.human.issues.associated.with.technology.used.in.an.educational.setting ..It.is.also.very. important. that. you. and. your. students. follow. the.guidelines. and. rules. outlined. in. your. school. district’s.Acceptable. Use. Policy. (AUP) .. The. AUP. is. a. document.that. all. computer. users. in. a. school. or. school. district,.including.students,.must.sign ..By.signing.the.document,.the.computer.user.agrees.to.follow.the.rules.and.ethical.practices.that.ensure.proper.use.of.the.school’s.or.school.

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district’s.computers.and.networks ..The.standards.make.it. clear. that. students. of. all. ages. should. abide. by. the.appropriate.guidelines .

Dave. and. Marilyn. Forest,. teachers. from. Union. City,.California,. recently. became. nationally. board-certified.teachers .. They. believe. that. “if. we’re. ever. going. to.improve.the.perception.of.teachers.in.the.country,.we’ll.have. to. start. raising. the. standards”. (Forrest. &. Forrest,.2001,.para ..5) ..Both.of. them.integrated. technology. into.their.professional.activities.and.their.curriculum.in.order.to. demonstrate. that. they. were. worthy. of. this. highly.prestigious.certification ..Their.use.of.technology.extend-ed. across. each. of. the. NETS. mentioned. above .. They.videotaped.many.of.their.own.lessons.and.used.various.computer.programs.to.organize.data.collection ..In.order.to.demonstrate.the.social.science.requirements.to.show.that. students. make. connections. to. the. real. world,. one.of.Dave’s.projects. involved.having.his.history. students.interview.someone.who.had.lived.through.an.important.historical. event .. He. then. posted. the. interviews. on. the.Internet ..Marilyn.developed.a.computer.program.to.help.her.English.class.relate.to.the.literature.they.were.reading.and.respond.in.powerful.ways,.such.as.writing.a.response.in.poetry ..Additionally,.in.an.effort.to.help.teachers.teach.technology. embedded. in. content. and. not. in. isolation,.Marilyn. created. curriculum. programs. with. computer-based.lesson.ideas.(Forrest.&.Forrest,.2001) ..Marilyn.isn’t.alone ..Many.accomplished. teachers. are.writing. lessons.for.educational.websites.designated.for.teacher.use ..All.it. takes. is. a. search.engine,. and.any. teacher.can.have.a.handful.of.innovative,.creative,.standards-based.ideas.at.his/her.fingertips .

For.now,.start.by.assessing.your.basic.technology.skills.to.gain.a.clearer.picture.of.what.you.can.do.on.a.com-puter ..Table.2 .1.shows.a.basic.list.of.essential.computer.skills.that.teachers.should.have .

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Table 2.1: Essential Computer Skills for Teachers

. •. Know.the.basic.hardware.components.of.a.computer

. •. Use.the.online.help.function.within.software.applications

.•. Understand.how.different.passwords.are.generated.and.used

.•. Know.about.basic.file.structure.and.manipulation.(i .e .,.what.a.folder.is.and.how.to.copy,.move,.and.delete.a.file.on.a.hard.drive.or.disk)

. •. Know.how.to.search.for.a.file.and.how.to.select.a.location.when.saving.from.the.Internet.or.an.email.attachment

.•. Know.the.basics.of.the.computer’s.operating.system

.•. Know.how.to.send.and.receive.email

. •. Know.how.to.use.the.Internet

. •. Be.able.to.integrate.technology-based.grade.level/content.lessons.into.classroom.activities

. •. Run.antivirus.software

.•. Use.a.word.processor.and.its.basic.functions

.•. Save.and.retrieve.files

. •. Manage.data.in.teacher-based.productivity.software.(i .e .,.grade.book,.attendance,.etc .)

. •. Know.and.use.proper.computer.terminology

.•. Be.able.to.follow.written.and.oral.instructions.to.complete.computer.tasks

.•. Use.common.sense.and.have.realistic.expectations.when.using.a.computer

. •. Be.willing.to.try.to.figure.out.problems.that.arise.when.using.technology

.•. Know.how.to.check.for.unplugged.or.loose.cables

. •. Realize.that.sometimes.computers.do.unexpected.things.and.a.reboot.often.fixes.the.problem

.•. Report.a.computer/technology.problem.to.the.person.or.persons.who.have.the.capability.to.fix.it

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Improving Your Personal Technology SkillsAt. this. point,. you. may. be. wondering. how. you. can.enhance. your. current. technology. skills. and. learn. new.skills. in. many. of. the. areas. listed. in. Table. 2 .1 .. Having.computers. in. the.classroom.that.are. ready. for.use.may.be.overwhelming.for.you ..You.may.desire.specific.train-ing.in.the.application.of.using.them.within.your.lessons ..Professional.development.is.readily.available.for.willing.teachers ..

Professional. development. ideally. should. include. inten-sive.exploratory.training.sessions,.follow-up.support.over.time,.ongoing.dialogue.amongst.colleagues,.and.observa-tion. of. other. teachers. (Hawkins,. 1997) .. Sometimes. a.group. of. teachers. can. ask. the. administration. to. bring.experts. to. staff. meetings. for. training .. However,. staff.meetings.frequently.tend.to.deal.with.day-to-day.issues.rather. than. professional. development .. Teacher. exper-tise.is.a.significant.determinant.of.student.success,.and.teachers.need.focused.staff.development.to.build.compe-tence.in.new.areas ..Teachers.should.ask.about.available.district. technology. workshops .. In. larger. districts,. tech-nology.experts.may.be.available.to.answer.questions.and.address.concerns.with.a.simple.phone.call ..

A.teacher.may.choose.to.take.a.course.at.the.local.com-munity. college. as. well .. Technology. courses. are. usu-ally. offered. regularly. throughout. the. year .. In. an. effort.to. tackle. the. technology. issue. head. on,. a. teacher. may.want.to.try.an.online.course.to. learn.more.about.tech-nology. while. using. it .. Another. way. to. use. technology.in.the.search.for. learning.more.about.it. is.to.videotape.other.teachers.and.learn. from.their. integration.of. tech-nology .. There. are. many. books. written. on. improving.technology.skills;.many.are.even.written.specifically.for.self-professed. beginners .. Teachers. can. also. use. search.engines.(e .g .,.Yahoo!.and.Google).to.search.the.Internet.for. resources. and. further. coaching .. A. teacher. can. type.

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“teacher.technology”.and.find.many.interesting.sites.to.explore .. These. sites. might. give. technology. training,. as.well.as.specific.lesson.plans.and.ideas.for.technology.use.in. the. classroom .. If. a. teacher. searches. the. Internet. for.the.specific.content.subject,.such.as.life.science,.teach-ing-related.sites.will.often.have.ways.to.integrate.tech-nology. into. the. curriculum .. Finally,. the. best. resource.for.teachers.is.other.teachers ..Your.colleagues.are.often.enthusiastic.about.sharing.technology.ideas,.advice,.and.experience ..There. is.more. guidance.about. this. topic. in.Chapter.Eight.of.this.book .

Get a Clearer Picture for Lessons and Professional DevelopmentYou. may. be. comfortable. with. only. some. of. the. skills.listed.in.Table.2 .1 ..Believe.it.or.not,.you.will.be.able.to.incorporate.technology.into.your.lessons.no.matter.what.your. skill. level .. See. the. section. in. this. chapter. titled.“Developing.Lessons.Using.Technology.Standards”.(page.47). for. an. explanation. of. how. to. integrate. technology.skills.into.your.lessons.a.few.at.a.time ..

Use.the.survey.on.page.39.to.more.accurately.assess.your.skill.level ..After.completing.the.survey,.you.will.have.a.better.idea.of.those.skills.with.which.you.feel.comfort-able. enough. to. introduce. to.your. students ..This. rubric.will. also. give. you. an. idea. of. skills. on. which. you. can.focus.for.your.own.professional.development .

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Technology Skills: Can’t do this

Can do with assistance

Can do independently

Can teach others

Identify basic hardware components (e.g., monitor, keyboard, mouse, system unit, printer, scanner)

Understand and use correct computer terminology

Troubleshoot and repair simple hardware/software problems

Manage files (e.g., copy, move, delete)

Search for, save, and retrieve a file

Save files in a user-specified location (e.g., downloading files from the Internet and email)

Use the online help function within software applications

Understand how different passwords are generated and used

Remove computer viruses and spyware

Use word processing software (e.g., Microsoft Word)

Use spreadsheet software (e.g., Microsoft Excel)

Use Database software (e.g., Microsoft Access)

Use multimedia presentation software (e.g., Microsoft PowerPoint)

Use desktop publishing software (e.g., Microsoft Publisher)

Use instructional software (e.g., MathBlaster or CCC Math)

Use email (e.g., send, retrieve, create, and open attachments)

Use a Web browser (e.g., Internet Explorer or Netscape)

Use a search engine (e.g., Google or Yahoo!)

Search the Internet for information

Design a Web page (e.g., using Microsoft FrontPage)

Use a scanner

Use a digital camera

Use a video projector

Use a handheld computer

Teacher Skills SurveyDirections:.Please.indicate.your.comfort.level.with.each.of.the.following.technology.skills .

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ISTE National Education Technology Standards (NETS) for StudentsThe.NETS.for.students.provide.a.vision.for.overall.stu-dent. accomplishment. and. a. set. of. practical. skills. and.knowledge. for. students. to. acquire ..Think.of. the.NETS.for. students. as. a. useful. tool. in. conjunction. with. your.own.state.standards.to.help.you.plan.lessons.and.assess.your. students .. It. is. imperative. to. note. that. technology.standards.are.not.designed.to.be.taught.in.isolation ..The.technology. standards. are. intended. to. be. learned,. prac-ticed,.and.demonstrated.while.students.are.working.on.content.area.curriculum ..The.teacher.should. insert.the.technology. standards. directly. into. content. area. lesson.plans.and.develop.rubrics.using.the.specific.performance.indicators ..This.is.not.to.say.that.teachers.will.not.need.to. explicitly. teach. the. technology. skills;. only. that. the.skills. should. be. taught. in. conjunction. with. relevant,.meaningful.learning.experiences.as.students.are.problem.solving,. investigating,. and. doing. research .. Let’s. take. a.closer.look.at.the.NETS.for.students ..The.NETS.for.stu-dents.are.organized.into.six.categories:

. •. Basic Operations and Concepts..These.standards.address.the.student’s.ability.to.demonstrate.proficiency.in.using.technology .

. •. Social, Ethical, and Human Issues ..These.standards.address.the.student’s.ability.to.adhere.to.the.social,.ethical,.legal,.and.human.issues.surrounding.technology.use.in.schools .

. •. Technology Productivity Tools..These.standards.address.the.student’s.ability.to.use.technology.to.produce.information.in.various.curriculum.areas .

. •. Technology Communication Skills..These.standards.address.the.student’s.ability.to.use.technology.to.communicate .

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. •. Technology Research Skills..These.standards.address.the.student’s.ability.to.use.technology.for.research .

. •. Technology Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Skills..These.standards.address.the.student’s.ability.to.use.technology.to.resolve.real,.authentic.problems .

A.complete.description.of.the.different.standards,.perfor-mance.indicators,.and.performance.profiles.can.be.found.on.the.ISTE.website ..Note.that.the.standards.do.not.list.the. specific. skills. and. knowledge. that. students. should.master ..

Student ProfilesISTE.developed.student.profiles.to.show.what.a.techno-logically. literate. student. has. mastered. at. the. comple-tion.of.each.grade-level.range.(the.grade-level.ranges.are.PreK–2,. 3–5,. 6–8,. and. 9–12) .. The. student. profiles. list.the.specific.performance.indicators.that.students.should.master ..Some.examples.of.the.more.specific.technology.skills.are.as.follows ..Only.a.few.examples.are.presented.from.each.of.the.profile.areas ..A.student.who.is.finish-ing. second. grade. should. be. able. to. use. a. mouse. and.keyboard. and. use. the. proper. vocabulary. when. sharing.about.technology ..A.student.who.is.finishing.fifth.grade.should.be.able.to.use.technology. for.writing.and.select.the. appropriate. technology. tools. to. approach. a. task .. A.student.who.is.finishing.eighth.grade.should.be.able.to.choose. content-specific. technology. tools. for. learning.and.take.part.in.collaborative.technology-based.research ..A.student.who.is.finishing.12th.grade.should.be.able.to.make.independent.decisions.about.the.use.of.technology.and.competently.use.online.information .

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Get a Clearer Picture of Your Students’ Technology SkillsBefore. you. begin. planning. lessons,. it. is. a. good. idea. to.think. through. the. basic. computer. skills. that. students.need.by.the.end.of.each.grade-level.range ..Use.the.appro-priate. survey. from. the. following. pages. (depending. on.your. students’. grade. levels). to. gain. a. clearer. picture. of.what.your.students.can.do.on.a.computer ..These.lists.do.not. include. every. skill. that. students. should. be. able. to.perform,.but.they.include.extensive. lists.that.will.help.you.develop.a.strong.idea.of.your.students’.levels .

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Student Skills SurveyDirections: Estimate.the.percentage.of.students.in.your.class.that.match.each.particu-lar.comfort.level.for.each.of.the.following.concepts.and/or.technologies .

By the end of Grade 2:




Can teach others

Identify basic hardware components (e.g., monitor, keyboard, mouse, CPU, printer, scanner)

Understand and use correct computer terminology

Properly start, restart, and shut down computer

Identify and know how to use CD and DVD disks

Properly use mouse; point and click, point and drag, double-click, click from pull-down menu; open and close windows

Identify icons for files, programs, folders, and disks

Use the keyboard efficiently: place fingers at the home row and use specific keyboard keys (e.g., space bar, Delete, Return, and arrow keys)

Identify and use number and letter keys, punctuation and symbol keys, and shift, caps lock, and tab keys

Use informal keyboarding to enter text

Use word processing menu options: (e.g., New, Open, Save, Print, and Exit)

Compose text on a word processor

Edit text on a word processing document (e.g., change font, font size, font color)

Save and retrieve text on a word processor

Add graphic(s) to a word processing document

Print a word processing document

Use basic drawing tools in a paint program

Open and close a program on a CD-ROM

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Student Skills SurveyDirections:.Estimate.the.percentage.of.students.in.your.class.that.match.each.particu-lar.comfort.level.for.each.of.the.following.concepts.and/or.technologies .





Can teach others

Type 30 words per minute with 80%–90% accuracy

Move, resize, and activate an open window

Copy files to a disk

Start, use, and close a desk accessory

Learn formal keyboarding skills for letters and numbers

Change text by highlighting

Change font, size, and style of text

Familiar with word processing menu options (e.g., Cut, Copy, Paste, Undo, Close, Save As, and Print Preview)

Change page layout (e.g., margins, text alignment)

Use Spell Check and Thesaurus

Use Tab key and set and clear tabs

Print a word processing document

Master higher functions of creating, changing, and moving graphics using a paint or graphics program

Change the name of a file

Choose files to open or delete

Search files on CD-ROM

Create folders and organize own data files on computer hard drive or network server

Create, edit, and save a multimedia file

Create a series of screens with text, graphics, and navigation buttons

Present a multimedia project to others

Use Web browser software

Use a search engine

Receive an email, reply to a received email, send a new email, forward an email

Manage email account using delete/folder options

Abide by the existing Acceptable Use Policy (AUP)

Respect the privacy of other students’ files

Understand and respect copyright laws

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Student Skills SurveyDirections:.Estimate.the.percentage.of.students.in.your.class.that.match.each.particu-lar.comfort.level.for.each.of.the.following.concepts.and/or.technologies .





Can teach others

Type 35 words per minute with 85%–95% accuracy

Familiar with additional word processing techniques (e.g., headers and footers, page numbers, word count, page breaks, find/replace command)

Insert images, objects, and other files into a document

Familiar with compressing (zip) and uncompressing (unzip) files

Identify the various file formats that are associated with different applications

Use utility programs to convert file formats to alternative formats

Familiar with alternative ways to manage and maintain computer files on different media

Determine uses of databases and spreadsheets

Retrieve or edit information in a database

Perform basic spreadsheet functions

Select and change information in a spreadsheet cell

Create, manipulate, and export a graphic from a paint or graphic program to another program

Upload and download files over the Internet

Use FTP to transfer files

Describe the different types of online services

Familiar with planning and creating a video project

Use a storyboard

Create simple animation in a series of screens

Record or modify sound to add to presentation

Add an attachment to email

Evaluate a website for accuracy of information

Conduct effective and efficient Web searches

Identify and respect copyright issues on the Web

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Student Skills SurveyDirections:.Estimate.the.percentage.of.students.in.your.class.that.match.a.particular.comfort.level.for.each.of.the.following.concepts.and/or.technologies .

By the end of high school:




Can teach others

Type 40+ words per minute with 90%–100% accuracy

Master additional word processing menu options (e.g., toolbar and layout menus)

Master additional word processing techniques (e.g., tables, borders, columns)

Create a simple database and spreadsheet to store, organize, and sort data

Use a spreadsheet to answer questions by using formulas and manipulating data

Generate graphs and charts using data from a spreadsheet

Identify, evaluate, and fix basic to moderate problems involving hardware, software, and the network

Use authoring tools to generate Webcasts, videos, Web pages, etc.

Use appropriate search techniques to minimize unrelated hits

Create anchors and links within a Web page

Create pages that load efficiently

Use bookmarks or favorites to save URLs for later use

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A Reminder About Standards It. is. imperative. that. teachers. seek. out. information. on.the.technology.standards.and.skills.required.of.students.in. their. specific. states. and. districts .. As. noted. above,.many.states.have.chosen.to.use.the.NETS.for.students.standards ..Others.have.created.modified.versions.of.these.same.standards ..Still.others.may.have.written.their.own ..Teachers.of.all.grade.levels.should.inquire.whether.their.district. or. state. has. set. up. technology. assessments. or.whether.technology.is.a.component.of.exit.exams.for.any.grade.level ..Technology.skills.build.on.one.another,.and.all.students.are.entitled.to.learn.the.appropriate.skills.for.their.grade.levels.as.they.progress.in.school .

Developing Lessons Using Technology StandardsSo.now.you.are.faced.with.two.challenges:.creating.les-sons. that. engage. students. in.worthwhile.problems.and.projects. and. incorporating. technology. standards. into.those.lessons ..How.can.you.provide.lessons.incorporat-ing. technology. standards. that. require. students. to. do.more. than. regurgitate. information. or. demonstrate. a.procedure. shown. to. them?. How. do. you. create. lessons.involving. technology. in.which. students. are. engaged. in.solving.problems,.answering.questions,.and.completing.real-world.tasks?.Whether.you.are.responsible.for.teach-ing.the.NETS.for.students,.a.version.of.the.NETS.for.stu-dents,.or.a.separate.set.of.technology.standards,.you.can.incorporate.them.into.engaging.lessons.that.address.the.academic. standards. for.which.you.are.also. responsible ..Hawkins.(1997).noted.that.technology-integrated.lessons.provide.access.to.current.primary.source.material,.ways.for. students. and. teachers. to. collaborate. with. experts.from.all.around.the.world,.and.opportunities.for.extend-ing.comprehension.through.multisense.experiences .

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How Do Teachers Add Technology Instruction to an Already Full Schedule?Whenever. teachers. are. confronted. with. exciting. new.classroom.ideas,.the.first.question.is.always.“How.do.I.fit.that.in?”.There.is.good.news.about.adding.technology.to.your.day ..It.is.not.an.extra.time.period.of.curriculum;.rather,. technology. is. incorporated. into. already. existing.content.lessons ..Furthermore,.technology.often.provides.the. motivation. for. students. to. exert. their. best. efforts ..The.increased.motivation.deepens.retention.of.content,.which.can.minimize.the.need.to.reteach.material ..

Following.are.specific.content.area.suggestions.for.incor-porating.technology.into.everyday.lessons.(Balser,.2001) ..These. ideas. are. only. given. to. provide. a. jumpstart. of.ideas ..The.possibilities.are.as.endless.as.your.creativity.allows .

Math:

. •. Use.spreadsheets.to.compute.mathematical.formulas .

. •. Use.spreadsheets.to.show.patterns.in.math .

. •. Use.graphs.to.show.algebra.and.trigonometry.relations.and.functions ..

. •. Use.email.to.set.up.math.tutorial.relationships.among.students .

Science:

. •. Use.texts.to.debate.and.compare.the.accuracy.of.Internet.science.articles .

. •. Use.spreadsheets.to.aid.in.the.presentation.of.data.collection .

. •. Use.video.microscopes .

. •. Use.simulation.software.that.relates.to.the.given.content .

. •. Analyze.data.using.a.computer.graphing.program .

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Language Arts:

. •. Create.multimedia.presentations.to.report.relationships.between.required.literatures .

. •. Use.literature.databases.for.research,.including.any.available.online.or.through.school.districts.or.local.libraries .

. •. Debate.accuracy.of.Internet.articles.about.a.topic.of.study .

. •. Use.familiar.storybooks.and.literature.on.CD-ROMs .

. •. Have.students.discuss.major.works.of.literature.with.students.from.other.schools,.districts,.states,.or.countries.via.email,.discussion.boards,.or.chat.rooms .

Social Studies/Geography:

. •. Use.map.software.to.locate.areas.of.study .

. •. Use.Internet.to.research.places.and.people.of.study .

. •. Debate.bias.in.texts.and.Internet.articles .

. •. Email.pen.pals.in.the.areas.that.are.being.studied .

Ask and BorrowHere.are.some.ways.to.develop.project-based.or.problem-based.lessons.using.technology.standards ..The.very.best.place.to.start.is.by.talking.to.fellow.teachers.who.already.incorporate. technology. in. meaningful. ways. into. their.teaching .. Ask. them. how. they. manage. to. address. aca-demic. standards. and. technology. standards. at. the. same.time ..See.if.they.have.lessons.they.are.willing.to.share ..If.the.lessons.you.borrow.are.not.written.for.your.grade.level,.use.them.for.ideas.to.develop.projects.for.your.own.students .

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Another.excellent.way. to.find. tried.and. true. lessons. is.to.search.online ..The.ISTE.website.provides.a.searchable.lesson.database.containing.lessons.and.units.designed.to.teach. the.NETS. for. students ..The. lessons. in. this. data-base. are. also. based. on. national. curriculum. standards ..Each.lesson.cites.both.the.NETS.standards.and.the.cur-riculum.standards.the.lesson.addresses ..Find.this.page.by.using.a.search.engine.such.as.Google.or.Yahoo!.and.the.keywords. “NETS. lessons”. or. “ISTE. lesson. database .”.Once.you.find.the.database,.search.it.by.grade.level,.sub-ject,.and/or.keywords ..

Also.search.for.lessons.online.in.other.ways ..Use.a.search.engine.and.keywords.that.pertain.to.what.you.are.look-ing. for .. For. example,. if. you. are. a. second-grade. teacher.who.wants.to.incorporate.technology.into.your.science.lessons,. try.a. search.using. the.keywords.“second-grade.science.lessons.technology .”

Bit by Bit: Incorporate a Little Technology Into an Existing LessonThe.next.best.place. to. start. is. to. take.an.existing.unit.or. lesson. that. you. have. taught. before. and. add. a. small.technology.component ..Do.not.feel.that.you.must.cover.several.technology.standards.at.once ..In.the.same.vein,.do.not. feel. that.you.must.substantially.change.the. les-son.or.unit ..Add.a. small. technology.project. to. the. les-son. without. changing. much. else .. For. your. very. first.technology.project,. try. something.you. feel. comfortable.showing.students ..Maybe.you.have.used.a.word.proces-sor.like.Microsoft.Word.before ..Think.of.something.the.students.can.do.with.a.word.processor.that.will.add.an.interesting,.meaningful.task.to.the.lesson ..For.example,.for.a.unit.on.the.Civil.War,.direct.students.to.compose.a. letter. to. a. soldier. or. nurse .. It. is. okay. if. you. are. not.entirely.sure.how.to.use.a.word.processor.to.do.this ..You.and.your.students.do.not.need.to.have.mastered.all.of.the.

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technology. skills. involved. in. a. project. before. starting ..Make.use.of.your.students’.abilities.to.figure.out.how.to.use.new.technology ..Most.likely,.some.of.your.students.will.be.familiar.with.the.technology.you.are.introducing ..Start.by.showing. the.students.one.or. two.key. technol-ogy.skills;.they.can.learn.the.rest.while.doing.the.small.project .. It. helps. to. pair. experienced. students. with. less.experienced.students ..They.will.work.together.to.com-plete.the.task .

After. you. have. begun. adding. small. technology. compo-nents.to.your.lessons,.it.will.become.easier.to.add.more ..Remember.to.always.strive.to.make.the.use.of.the.tech-nology.meaningful .

The Possibilities Are EndlessThere.are.exciting.things.happening.all.around.the.nation.because. teachers. are. bravely. incorporating. technology.into.the.curriculum ..In.Hana,.Hawaii,.special.education.students.are.using.special.reading.computer.programs.to.boost.reading.skills.and.their.confidence ..Speech-to-text.software.is.helping.these.students.express.their.thoughts.about.learning.when.writing.can.be.a.physical.hardship ..The.teachers.are.adapting.the.programs.to.meet.the.indi-vidual.needs.of.each.of.their.special.education.students.and.seeing.remarkable.results.(Wellington,.1998) ..Video.clubs.are. also.popping.up. in. schools. across. the.nation ..They.give.students.a.voice.and.a. sense.of.belonging. in.a. school. system. where. they. might. not. have. been. suc-ceeding. before .. Through. this. technology,. students. are.exploring. high. interest. subjects .. Indigenous. Choctaw.tribal. students. in. Mississippi. are. sharing. poems,. tribal.history,. folklore,. and. more. with. other. students. in. the.United. States. and. across. continents. through. Internet.interactive.websites. (Ellis,.2002) ..Students.in.Spearfish,.South. Dakota,. are. holding. live. video. conferences. with.other.students.in.Sakaide.City,.Japan.(Furger,.2002) ..The.

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abundance.of.exciting.success.stories.should.be.enough.to. draw. teachers. into. the. quest. of. integrating. technol-ogy. into. the. classroom .. As. you. gradually. add. further.technology.components.to.additional.classroom.lessons,.you. will. find. yourself. meeting. more. of. the. technol-ogy.standards.that.your.district.requires ..Many.districts.have.curriculum.leaders.and.experts.who.can.offer.ideas,.equipment,.and.training ..The.next.chapter.will.help.you.by.exploring.different.types.of.software.programs.and.the.types.of.projects.that.will.help.your.students.succeed.in.technology .

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Chapter Two Reflection. 1 .. What.are.your.reactions.to.the.ISTE.National.Educational.Technology.

Standards?.Explain.why.you.think.they.either.are.or.are.not.beneficial.to.teachers.or.students .

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. 2 .. What.steps.would.you.take.to.ensure.that.you.have.met.the.ISTE.NETS.or.your.district.or.state.standards.for.teachers.or.students?

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. 3 .. From.the.list.of.“Essential.Computer.Skills.for.Teachers”.(page.36),.which.five.skills.do.you.need.to.work.on.most.and.why?

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. 4 .. Explain.why.it.is.not.essential.that.you.or.your.students.have.mastered.all.of.the.computer.skills.needed.for.a.project.before.beginning.the.project .

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

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Chapter Three

Integrate Software Programs Into Your

Lessons

You.are.aware.that.computers.can.be.excellent.tools.for.learning. and.you.know. that. there. are. technology. stan-dards.that.you.must.teach,.but.in.practical.terms,.how.is.this.done?.The.next.step.is.to.learn.about.the.abundance.of.software.programs.and.what.they.can.do.for.you.and.your.students .

The. previous. chapters. outlined. a. vision. for. integrating.technology. into. the. classroom .. You. were. introduced.to. the. importance. of. basing. lessons. on. technology.standards .. This. chapter. explores. the. practical. details.of.using. software.programs. in.your. lessons .. It. includes.brief.descriptions.of.each.software.program.and.straight-

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forward,. practical. project. ideas. for. using. each. software.program.as.a.tool.for.learning ..Let.these.project.ideas.be.a.springboard.to.spark.ideas.for.software.use.in.your.own.classroom .

As.you.read.through.Chapter.Three,.keep.in.mind.that.you.can.use.a.software.program.with.your.students.even.if.you.only.have.minimal.experience.with. it ..Choose.a.single.simple.task,.show.the.students.one.or.two.skills,.pair.students,.and.give.them.a.task.to.complete ..As.long.as.they.are.aware.of.your.expectations.for.the.end.prod-uct,. they. will. help. one. another. to. complete. the. steps.required.to.accomplish.the.task ..

Before. you. begin. reading. Chapter. Three,. check. your.knowledge. to. see.how.much.you.know.about. software.programs .

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Integrate Software Programs Into Your Lessons


____. 1 .. Each.word.processing.program.has.its.own.menu.system.from.which.to.accomplish.the.various.possible.actions ..

____. 2 .. There.are.an.unlimited.number.of.ideas.or.ways.to.integrate.word.processing.into.classroom.activities .

____. 3 .. If.you.want.to.create.a.formatted.document,.desktop.publishing.is.a.completely.different.process.than.word.processing .

____. 4 .. Spreadsheets.are.only.used.to.manipulate.and.organize.numeric.data .

____. 5 .. Spreadsheet.programs.can.be.used.to.create.word.puzzles.for.vocabulary.review .

____. 6 .. Students.gain.problem-solving.and.critical.thinking.skills.when.they.learn.to.use.spreadsheet.programs .

____. 7 .. Due.to.their.degree.of.difficulty,.database.programs.are.limited.in.how.they.can.be.integrated.into.classroom.activities .

____. 8 .. Multimedia.presentations.should.be.planned.on.a.storyboard.prior.to.using.a.particular.software.program ..

____. 9 .. Rubrics.are.effective.tools.for.evaluating.students’.multimedia.projects .

____. 10 .. Database.programs.do.not.lend.themselves.to.developing.students’.critical.thinking.skills .

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When to Choose a Software Program Over Traditional Classroom MeansThere. are. going. to.be. times.when. it. is.not. appropriate.to.use.a.computer.for.a.classroom.task ..However,.there.are.also. times.when. the.computer. is. the.most.obvious.tool. for.creating.a.dynamic.learning.experience.for.stu-dents .. First,. learn. about. the. various. options. described.in. this. chapter .. Challenge. yourself. to. incorporate. one.component.of.software.for.an.upcoming.unit ..Start.with.a.simple.project.that.easily.correlates.to.your.curriculum.and.see.where.the.experience.takes.your.students ..David.Warlick.(2005).states:

If.the.students’.work.can.easily.be.done.with.pencil.and.paper,. then. it. should.be.done.with.pencil. and.paper ..If.their.work.is.to.be.compiled.and.published.as.a.school.literary.magazine,.e-mailed.to.the.coun-ty.commission,.or.if.images.or.other.media.are.to.be.integrated.into.the.work,.then.use.a.computer ..If.the.information.is.available.in.an.encyclopedia.or.other.reference.book,.then.use.a.book ..If.the.information.or.perspective.that.you.seek.is.not.available.in.print.or.if.the.information.is.to.be.processed.in.some.way.using. a. computer,. then. go. to. the. Internet .. When.we.use.technology. for. teaching.or. for. learning,.we.should.use.the.technology.to.take.advantage.of. its.unique.capabilities ..(p ..19)

The. most. current. research. shows. that. these. software.tools. are. important. for. building. more. knowledge. in.learning. environments .. Students. use. these. new. tech-nology.tools.to.gather.data,.organize.information,.share.what. they. have. learned,. and. demonstrate. learning.through.writing.(Norman.&.Hayden,.2002) .

Word ProcessingWord. processing. programs. allow. students. to. develop.higher-level. thinking. skills. by. focusing. on. composing,.

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creating,.and.communicating ..Also,.the.features.of.word.processing. programs. allow. students. to. easily. rearrange.content.and.find.ways.of.communicating.better ..Finally,.word. processors. engage. students. in. the. authentic. task.of. publishing. more. professional-looking. documents ..Students. become. more. motivated. to. compose. and. cre-ate.when.using.word.processing.software.(Means.et.al .,.1993) ..

Word. processing. programs. are. the. most. used. soft-ware. programs. in. classrooms. from. elementary. grades.through. high. school. (Kulik,. 2003) .. The. most. common.word. processors. are. Microsoft. Word,. WordPerfect,. and.AppleWorks ..Because.these.programs.are.so.easy.to.use.and.have.so.many.functions,. they.have.made.the.type-writer.practically.obsolete ..In.many.classrooms,.the.stu-dents.opt.to.use.computers.rather.than.pencils.(Warlick,.2005) ..It.is.now.one.of.the.primary.ways.to.put.words.on.paper .. Documents. can. be. easily. edited. before. they. are.printed ..An.existing.document.can.be.used.as.a.template.or. a. model. for. future. documents .. This. allows. the. user.to.edit.existing.documents. rather. than. to.create.a.new.document.from.scratch.each.time ..This.is.a.major.time-saver.and.provides.consistency .

For.struggling.students,.the.task.of.writing.is.often.over-whelming .. Having. to. edit. and. rewrite. an. essay. can. be.emotionally. and. physically. demanding. on. high-needs.students,. not. to. mention. special. education. students ..The.word.processing.program.provides.a.practical.solu-tion ..Many.struggling.students.prefer.keyboarding.their.thoughts .. Editing. does. not. require. crossing. words. out,.ripping.the.paper.with.erasures,.and.rewriting ..Students.can. make. changes. easily. and. move. on. to. new. writing.projects .. Linda. Yackanicz,. from. Chestnut. Hill. College,.did. her. Masters. thesis. on. whether. word. processing.programs.are.helpful.for.reluctant.writers ..Her.research.found.that.the.use.of.word.processing.programs.built.the.

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confidence.of.struggling.students;.they.were.able.to.focus.on.what. they.were.writing,. rather. than.how.they.were.writing ..These. students.actually.wrote.more,. and. their.writing.ability.improved.significantly.(Yackanicz,.2000;.Norman. &. Hayden,. 2002) .. “We. know. that. students.write.better.and. learn. to.write.better.with.a.word.pro-cessor ..Writing.becomes.a.craft.with.this.versatile.tool”.(Warlick,.2005,.p ..17) .

Word. processing. can. be. easily. integrated. into. teaching.and. learning .. It. provides. the. students. and. teachers. the.ability. to. format. text,. insert. and. delete. text,. and. copy.and.paste.text ..Other.features.include.word.wraparound,.justification,. spell. check,. and. merging .. Each. word. pro-cessing.program.has.its.own.menu.system.from.which.to.accomplish. the.various.possible. actions ..Word.process-ing.improves.the.appearance.of.documents ..It.saves.time.and. allows. users. to. share. information. in. an. electronic.format .. Students. can. use. word. processing. to. compose.stories,.write.reports,.keep.notes,.and.maintain.journals.related. to. classroom. activities .. The. following. project.offers.a.creative.way.to.use.a.word.processor.to.enhance.student. learning .. This. activity. goes. beyond. the. simple.task.of. just.typing.text.from.a.piece.of.paper.to.a.com-puter.screen .

Student Project: Publish a Poetry Book (Grades K–2)One. of. the. simplest. ways. to. use. a. word. processor. in.a. meaningful. way. is. to. direct. students. to. create. their.very.own.books ..Students. instantly. see. the.connection.between. the. task. and. the. tool,. and. they. enjoy. seeing.their.books. look.official,.complete.with. typed. text.and.clip.art ..Furthermore,.composing.a.book.is.an.excellent.way. to. develop. reading,. writing,. and. creative-thinking.skills ..

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Before.beginning.the.lesson,.create.a.document.in.a.word.processor. with. text. that. the. students. will. complete ..Model. the. text. after. a. book. of. repetitive. text. and/or.rhyme ..For.example,.for.the.book.I Went Walking, What Did I See?.by.Sue.Williams,.you.could.create.a.page.that.states:.“I.went.walking ..What.did.I.see?.I.saw.a._________.looking.at.me .”.Generate.three.or.four.pages.in.the.docu-ment.with.the.same.text ..Separate.each.page.by.a.page.break ..Be.sure.to.create.a.title.page.on.the.first.page.in.the.file ..Then,.save.the.document.as.a.read-only.file.or.save.it.as.a.template.file .

Next,.read.the.book.of.poetry.or.repetitive.text.that.cor-relates.with.your.created.document.to.the.students ..Ask.the.students.to.create.more.rhymes.and.have.them.share.with.the.group ..In.our.example.here,.for.the.book.I Went Walking, What Did I See?,. you. might. request. that. the.students.imagine.walking.through.a.park ..This.will.focus.their.creativity.as.they.brainstorm.things.they.might.see.in.the.park ..Ask.students.to.orally.complete.the.line,.“I.went.walking ..What.did.I.see?.I.saw.a.___________.look-ing.at.me .”.You.can.also.ask.students.to.imagine.walk-ing.by.the.ocean,.in.the.desert,.through.a.castle,.through.a. zoo,. or. in. a. museum .. Choose. a. place. that. relates. to.something. you. are. studying .. Then,. ask. the. students.what.tools.they.might.use.to.make.a.book.like.the.one.you. just. read .. Entertain. all. answers. before. suggesting.that. they. use. the. computer. to. create. their. very. own.poetry.books ..Direct.the.students.to.open.the.document.you.created.and.complete.the.pages.by.inserting.text.on.each.line;.they.may.have.to.delete.the.line.first.in.order.to.enter.the.name.of.what.they.“see .”.If.you.wish,.have.them.also.insert.clip.art.to.illustrate.each.page ..Finally,.instruct. them. to. save. their. documents. and. print. the.pages .. You. might. also. have. them. print. the. pages. with.only.the.text.and.later.draw.the.pictures,.depending.on.how.much.computer.time.and.access.you.have .

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Figure 3.1: Sample Poetry Book

Excerpted.from.Apple Works: Simple Projects (Primary) ..Copyright.©.2003.by.Teacher..Created.Materials,.Inc .

Desktop PublishingDesktop. publishing. programs. are. advanced. versions.of. word. processing. programs. used. for. professional. and.home. use. alike,. thanks. to. the. availability. of. easy-to-use. programs .. In. the. classroom,. desktop. publishing.programs.enable.students.to.create.products.that.reflect.their.understanding.of.key.academic.concepts ..Students.become. active. constructors. of. content,. which. research.has.shown.is.greatly.superior.for.learning.than.passively.absorbing.content.(Roschelle.et.al .,.2001) ..

The. term. desktop publishing. describes. the. process. of.laying. out. and. formatting. documents. to. create. a. more.

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Figure 3.1: Sample Poetry Book


professional.look ..It.uses.many.of.the.same.processes.as.word.processing. for. creating. formatted.documents,. but.there.are.many.extra.features.as.well ..You.can.use.a.word.processor.to.desktop.publish,.but.there.are.also.software.programs. designed. specifically. for. this. purpose .. These.programs. allow. more. control. over. the. design. of. your.page.or.document ..Desktop.publishing.software.provides.features. like. magazine-style. columns. (for. newsletters),.rulers,. borders. and. graphics,. repeating. headers. and.footers,. and. a. large.variety.of. fonts ..Even. though.word.processing. programs. contain. some. of. these. features,.page. layout. programs. specialize. in. making. page. layout.and.design.easier.and.more.integrated.with.the.text.and.graphics ..Examples.of.page.layout.programs.are.Microsoft.Publisher,.Print.Shop.Pro,.PageMaker,.QuarkXPress,.and.Adobe.InDesign .

Creating. documents. with. desktop. publishing. software.is.similar.to.the.procedures.of.word.processing.software ..Text. is. typed. onto. a. page. and. formatted .. Images,. like.pictures.and.clip.art,.are. inserted. later ..However,.desk-top. publishing. software. allows. more. control. over. the.formatting.of.documents ..You.can.decide.exactly.where.you.want.to.place.text.on.the.page,.specify.how.the.text.is.placed.(on.top.or.underneath.an.image.or.graphic),.and.have.more.control.over.typographical.features.like.kern-ing. (the. space. between. letters),. leading. (line. spacing),.and.the.presentation.of.text.(making.it.easy.and.appeal-ing. to. read) .. You. can. use. the. mouse. to. drag. and. place.the. elements. to. the. precise. location. on. your. created.page .. With. scanners. and. digital. cameras,. you. can. even.insert.photographs.into.documents ..Desktop.publishing.also. supports. a. feature. called. WYSIWYG. (pronounced.wiz-zee-wig) .. It. stands. for.“What.You.See. Is.What.You.Get .”. It. means. that. what. you. see. on. your. computer.screen.will.look.exactly.the.same.way.on.paper.when.it.is.printed ..Desktop.publishing.programs.are.usually.used.by. intermediate. to. advanced. computer. users. to. create.

Excerpted.from.Apple Works: Simple Projects (Primary) ..Copyright.©.2003.by.Teacher..Created.Materials,.Inc .

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professional. quality. newsletters,. information. packets,.and.more.(Norman.&.Hayden,.2002) .

Using Desktop Publishing in the ClassroomAs.a.classroom.teacher,.you.may.not.always.have.access.to.desktop.publishing.software ..Therefore,.you.may.have.to. use. a. word. processor. to. complete. desktop. publish-ing.activities ..In.most.cases,.you.will.probably.not.even.notice. the. lack. of. control. over. text. and. graphic. place-ment.in.the.word.processor ..This.is.due.to.the.improve-ments.in.word.processing.software.in.recent.years .

With. access. to. a. desktop. publishing. program,. teachers.can. use. it. for. professional. activities,. such. as. creating.lesson. plans,. seating. charts,. awards,. and. certificates ..Both. teachers. and. students. can.use.desktop.publishing.software. to.make.posters.about. topics. studied. in.class;.for.example,.how.to.solve.a.math.problem.or.how.to.do.a.science.experiment ..It.can.also.be.used.to.create.ads,.ban-ners,. cards,. report.covers,. and.even.personal.portfolios ..Because. the. text. and. images. can. be. so. easily. manipu-lated,.it.is.very.easy.to.create.a.classroom.newspaper.or.newsletter,.enhance.photos.with. text,.borders,.or. ruled.lines,. or. create. a. newspaper. about. the. time. period. or.topic.you.are.studying .

As.a.jump.start.to.using.desktop.publishing,.two.student.activities.follow ..The.activities.include.making.an.invi-tation.and.creating.a.travel.brochure .

Student Project #1: You’re Invited! (Grades 3–5)In.this.activity,.the.students.create.a.quarter-fold.(or.half-fold). invitation.for.a.particular.event.or.topic.that.they.are.studying.in.class ..For.example,.the.invitation.could.invite.spectators.to.attend.the.signing.of.the.Declaration.of.Independence ..Creating.an.invitation.to.an.historical.event.connects.the.students.to.the.actual.event.and.the.historical.figures ..Students.involve.themselves.in.history.

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and. history. becomes. more. real. to. them .. Plus,. creating.the. invitation. involves. research. and. critical. thinking.about.the.audience.and.the.purpose.of.the.invitation .

Before.beginning.the.lesson,.discuss.the.historical.event,.its.context,.and.its.importance.in.history ..For.example,.for.the.Declaration.of.Independence.signing,.discuss.the.people.involved,.their.motivations.and.anxieties,.and.the.political.and.economic.issues.of.the.time ..Tell. the.stu-dents.to.imagine.that.they.are.the.people.who.organized.the.event ..Ask.them.why.they.are.holding.the.event.and.who.it.might.be.important.to.invite ..Then,.tell.the.stu-dents.that.they.will.be.researching.the.event.further.and.creating.an.invitation.for.the.event .

Direct. the. students. to. research. the. event.with. specific.purposes.in.mind:.the.date(s),.where.it.took.place,.who.was.there,.who.organized.the.event,.and.why.the.event.was.planned ..Allow.the.students.to.use.multiple.resourc-es,.including.books.and.the.Internet.(see.Chapter.Four.for.more.information.on.how.to.help.your.students.conduct.research. using. the. Internet) .. Next,. direct. the. students.to. complete. the. activity. using. either. desktop. publish-ing.software.or.word.processing.software ..While.desktop.publishing. software. is. actually. the. best. to. use. because.it.offers.more.flexibility,.word.processing.software.will.also. meet. your. needs,. if. necessary .. Tell. the. students.to. include.all. the. important.pieces.of. information. that.you.asked.them.to.find.in.the.final.product ..Invite.them.to. be. creative. with. the. invitation .. Figure. 3 .2a. shows. a.sample. cover. for. Thomas. Jefferson’s. invitation .. Figure.3 .2b.shows.a.sample.inside.of.the.invitation .

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Figure 3.2a: Sample Invitation Cover

Figure 3.2b: Sample Inside of Invitation

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Student Project #2: Traveling Through History (Grades 3–5 and 6–8)For. this. project,. students. will. research. a. place. from. a.certain.time.period.and.then.create.a.travel.brochure.to.showcase. the. information .. This. project. will. help. stu-dents. develop. higher-order. thinking. skills. by. research-ing,. synthesizing. information,. and. representing. what.they. have. learned .. According. to. experts. in. technology.integration,.this.type.of.project,.with.students.aided.by.technology. to. create. a. polished. product,. will. facilitate.deeper.learning.(Means.et.al .,.1993) .

To.begin,.direct.the.students.to.research.a.place.in.histo-ry.that.ties.into.what.you.are.studying ..Ask.them.to.find.key.pieces.of.information,.such.as.where.the.place.is.on.a.map,.dates.of.the.era,.the.language.and.customs.of.the.people.living.there,.the.highlights.of.the.landscape.(e .g .,.special.geological.formations,.bodies.of.water,.etc .),.and.forms.of. entertainment.or. special. events .. For. example,.students.might.research.a.medieval.city.in.Europe ..

When. students. have. finished. their. research,. create. a.model.of.a.completed.project.so.that.they.can.see.what.is. expected. and. what. possibilities. the. program. allows ..Then.direct.them.to.use.a.desktop.publishing.program.or.word.processing.program.to.create.their.own.brochures ..Allow.the.students.to.show.their.brochures.to.the.rest.of.the.class.when.they.are.completed ..You.might.ask.them.to.pretend.to.be.travel.agents.and.to.use.their.brochures.to.entice.others.to.visit.the.place.they.are.showcasing ..

Figures.3 .3a.and.3 .3b. shows.a. sample.brochure.created.to.entice.travelers.to.explore.life.during.medieval.times ..When. both. documents. are. printed. back-to-back,. they.become.a.tri-fold.brochure .

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Figure 3.3a: Brochure Sample 1

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Figure 3.3b: Brochure Sample 2

Spreadsheet ProgramsSpreadsheets. are. effective. tools. in. both. teaching. and.learning .. While. mostly. used. for. math,. they. are. also.widely. used. for. science,. social. studies,. and. language.arts .. Through. the. use. of. spreadsheets,. students. can.experiment.with.variables.to.change.equations.or.tables ..They.can.organize.data.that.can.be.instantly.converted.by.the.computer.into.a.variety.of.graphs ..They.also.help.students.to.manipulate,.analyze,.and.reflect.on.collected.data. (Norman. &. Hayden,. 2002) .. Spreadsheets. are. very.powerful.tools.that.allow.students.to.understand.compli-cated.word.problems ..They.can.be.used.to.teach.students.techniques.in.problem.solving.by.posing.and.answering.

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“what. if”. questions .. Spreadsheets. teach. students. how.to.think.at.a.higher.level.in.order.to.solve.real-life.word.problems .

Instead.of.using.calculators.or.calculating.by.hand,.use.spreadsheet. programs. to. make. processing. calculations.faster. and. more. accurate .. A. spreadsheet. application.allows.you.to.manipulate.and.organize.numbers.in.vari-ous.documents,.such.as.personal.budgets,.financial.state-ments,. grade. sheets,. and. sales. records .. It. can. perform.simple. or. complex. calculations. involving. the. numbers.that.you.have.entered. into. the.columns.and.rows ..The.program.easily.performs.mathematical.functions.across.columns. and. rows,. such. as. addition,. subtraction,. divi-sion,.and.multiplication,.as.well.as.averages.and.means ..The. data. can. be. in. the. form. of. labels,. values,. and. for-mulas ..The.advantages.of.using.a.spreadsheet.are.that.it.can.use.formulas.to.calculate.data,.automatically.update.values.when.they.are.related.to.data.being.changed,.and.display. data. in. graphs. and. charts .. All. information. is.contained. in. precise. cells,. labeled. by. column. and. row.number ..

Sometimes,.it.is.optimal.to.use.a.spreadsheet.instead.of.a.word.processing.program.because.you.do.not.have. to.struggle.with. tab. stops. to. line.up.columns.of. informa-tion .. There. are. several. different. spreadsheet. programs.available ..Microsoft.Excel,.Lotus.1-2-3,.Quattro.Pro,.and.AppleWorks.are.just.a.few.examples ..Regardless.of.which.program.you.use,.there.are.some.standard.components.to.all.spreadsheet.programs ..Each.spreadsheet.file.is.called.a. workbook .. Each. workbook. can. hold. several. activity.sheets .. A. worksheet. is. the. grid. of. columns. and. rows.where.all.of.the.information.is.manipulated ..Each.work-sheet. consists. of. an. almost. unlimited. number. of. cells ..Each.cell.is.the.intersection.of.a.column.and.row.within.the.worksheet ..The.user.can.easily.change.the.width.and.height.of.each.column.and.row.to.contain.the.amount.of.numerical.or.word.information.desired .

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Using a Spreadsheet in the ClassroomBecause.every.teacher.is.required.to.manage.student.and.classroom.data.in.some.way,.spreadsheet.programs.have.the. capability. of. being. an. integral. part. of. teacher. pro-ductivity. (Fryer,.2001) ..While.word.processing.software.can. certainly. streamline. the. creation. and. management.of.text.documents,.a.spreadsheet.offers.advantages.over.word.processors.that.should.not.be.overlooked ..Usually.teachers. use. spreadsheet. programs. to. keep. accurate,.organized. records. of. grades,. classroom. budgets,. atten-dance,.and.checklists ..However,.they.can.also.be.used.to.generate.lesson.plan.templates,.to.create.word.search.and.crossword.puzzles,.and.to.create.seating.charts .

When.students.use.spreadsheet.programs.to.manipulate.data. related. to. classroom.studies,. they.build. analytical.skills,. mathematical. skills,. interpretive. skills. and,. of.course,.technical.skills ..Research.shows.that.when.stu-dents.use.computers.in.science.labs.to.graph.the.results.of. science. experiments,. students’. learning. is. greatly.enhanced.(Roschelle.et.al .,.2001) ..Even.if.you.do.not.have.computers.in.your.school.science.lab,.you.can.still.draw.enormous. benefit. by. having. your. students. use. spread-sheet. programs. to. manipulate. data .. Even. very. young.students. can. collect. data. and. create. pie. charts,. line.graphs,.and.bar.graphs ..As.you.know,.most.state.content.standards.require.that.students.learn.to.create,.read,.and.interpret.these.types.of.graphs ..

There. are. multitudes. of. ways. in. which. to. integrate.spreadsheet.activities.into.classroom.activities ..Teachers.can. use. them. to. keep. student. grades,. monitor. student.reading. logs,. and. even. maintain. a. classroom. budget ..Students. can. use. spreadsheets. to. predict. changes. in.numbers,. build. different. kinds. of. graphs,. and. conduct.and.record.class.surveys ..

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A.specific.example.of.a.project.that.incorporates.spread-sheet.software.is.described.below .

Student Project: How Healthy Is Fast Food? (Grades 6–8 and 9–12)In. this.activity,. the. students.compare.and.evaluate. the.nutritional.information.of.different.foods.from.multiple.fast-food.restaurants ..Before.the.students.start.this.proj-ect,.you.or.the.students.should.obtain.nutritional.infor-mation.from.fast-food.restaurants.or.from.their.websites ..Also,.find.the.United.States.Department.of.Agriculture.(USDA).recommended.calorie.intake.appropriate.for.the.genders,.ages,.and.heights.of.the.students.in.your.class-room ..

To. start. the.activity,. tell. students. that. they.will.be.on.vacation. for. a. week. and. will. only. have. access. to. fast-food. restaurants .. Using. either. their. prior. knowledge. of.fast-food. restaurants.and.menus,.actual.menus.brought.in. for. the. assignment,. or. Internet-researched. menus. as.a.resource,.they.must.write.down.what.they.would.eat.for.three.daily.meals.for.the.entire.week ..Older.students.should. record. actual. sizes. in. ounces;. younger. students.should.record.sizes.in.small,.medium,.or.large.and.record.data. for. a. shorter.period.of. time. than. that.of. the.older.students .. Direct. students. to. then. create. a. spreadsheet.that.will.display.the.nutritional.information.for.different.fast.foods ..The.spreadsheet.should.list.the.type.of.food,.the. restaurant. from. which. it. came,. and. its. nutritional.information .. Figure. 3 .4. shows. a. possible. setup. of. one.lunch.meal.for.students.in.grades.6–8 ..Figure.3 .5.shows.an.expanded.example.that.would.be.appropriate.for.stu-dents.in.grades.9–12 ..The.assignment.can.be.adapted.for.whatever.analytical.use.the.teacher.has.planned.for.the.learning. experience .. Using. the. nutritional. information.from. the. fast-food. restaurants,. students. should. insert.the.appropriate.information.for.each.column ..Teach.the.students.how.to.use.automatic.sum.feature. in.order. to.compile.the.total.for.each.column .

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Figure 3.4: Fast Food Spreadsheet Sample (Grades 6–8)

Figure 3.5: Fast Food Spreadsheet Sample (Grades 9–12)

As.an.extension.activity,.instruct.the.students.to.create.another. spreadsheet .. On. this. worksheet,. the. students.need.to.compute.and.transfer.each.day’s.fast-food.calorie.intake.and.compare.it.to.the.USDA.recommended.calo-rie.intake ..Figure.3 .6.shows.how.this.spreadsheet.might.look .

Figure 3.6: Calorie Intake Spreadsheet

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For. the. last. part. of. the. activity,. students. can. return.to. the. nutritional. information. sheets. and. plan. a. new.weekly.menu,.using.the.previously.created.spreadsheets ..This.time,.the.students.must.stay.within.the.guidelines.of. their. recommended.daily.calorie. intake.while.eating.at.the.same.fast-food.restaurants ..As.a.class,.discuss.how.a. person. can. splurge. or. treat. oneself. to. a. high-calorie.item.but.still.stay.within.the.recommended.daily.calorie.intake ..The.students.will.become.quite.creative!

DatabasesA.database.program.provides.a.way.to.collect.and.orga-nize.large.amounts.of.information ..It.is.also.referred.to.as.an.electronic.filing.system ..Electronic.catalog.systems.in.libraries.are.examples.of.commonly.used.databases.in.schools ..Catalog.systems.allow.you.to.retrieve.informa-tion.about.publications.in.the.library ..For.example,.you.can. enter. an. author’s. name,. and. only. books. from. that.author.will.be.displayed ..In.addition.to.electronic.catalog.systems,. other. examples. of. everyday. databases. include.electronic.address.books,.grocery.store. inventories,.and.music.file.lists.in.a.media.player ..There.are.many.prac-tical. ways. for. students. to. use. databases .. Students. can.use. commercial. databases. and. information. services. to.conduct.research.on.weather.and.science.data.(Norman.&.Hayden,.2002) .

Creating.and.using.a.database.requires.students.to.gather.and.organize.data. into. sets. (or. records). and. to.manipu-late. this. data. to. discover. patterns. and. trends. among.the. entries .. Creating. a. database. places. the. student. in.an.active.role.where.he/she.collects.and.organizes.what.appears. to. be. unrelated. information. into. meaningful.categories .. Students. are. then. responsible. for. analyzing,.synthesizing,. and. evaluating. this. information .. When.older. students. use. databases. to. record. data. from. sci-entific. experiments. or. even. statistical. data. from. social.

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studies. research,. they. can. find. relationships. and. test.variables.in.complex.systems.(Means.et.al .,.1993) ..There.are.a.number.of.different.database.programs.available.for.teachers. and. students .. Microsoft. Access,. AppleWorks,.and.FileMaker.Pro.are.just.a.few ..

A Brief Overview of How to Use a DatabaseThe. most. important. thing. to. do. when. you. start. creat-ing.a.database.is.to.think.ahead ..Before.you.turn.on.the.computer,.think.about.the.type.of.information.that.you.want. to.collect. and.how.you.will.use. this. information.later ..For.example,.in.a.database.of.student.information,.you. will. want. contact. information. to. be. available. at. a.click.of.the.mouse ..You.will.want.to.collect.the.name,.address,. and.phone.number.of. each.student,.plus.other.details.such.as.birth.date,.parents’.names,.parents’.work.phone.numbers,.and.the.name.and.phone.number.of.an.emergency.contact ..

As. you. look. over. the. list,. it. seems. to. be. complete ..However,. what. happens. if. you. decide. to. print. a. class.list. sorted. alphabetically. by. the. students’. last. names?.There.is.no.easy.way.to.do.it,.so.it.makes.sense.to.break.the. field. “Name”. into. “Last. name”. and. “First. name .”.Do. the. same. thing.with. the. student’s. address,. parents’.names. and. work. numbers,. and. the. emergency. contact.name.and.number .. It. is.crucial. to.assign.each.informa-tion.category.its.own.field.so.that.you.will.later.be.able.to. sort. the. database. using. that. particular. field .. The.revised.fields.will.be.similar.to.the.following:

. •. Student’s.first.name

. •. Student’s.last.name

. •. Street.address

. •. City

. •. Zip.code

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. •. Home.phone.number

. •. Birth.date

. •. Father’s.first.name

. •. Father’s.last.name

. •. Mother’s.first.name

. •. Mother’s.last.name

. •. Father’s.work.phone.number

. •. Mother’s.work.phone.number

. •. Emergency.contact’s.first.name

. •. Emergency.contact’s.last.name

. •. Emergency.contact’s.phone.number

After. you. have. determined. which. fields. to. use,. enter.several.details.about.the.fields.that.you.are.using ..Some.of.the.information.that.the.database.program.requires.is.the.particular.field.that.each.key.is.in.(i .e .,.the.primary.field.used.for.sorting),.the.size.of.the.field.(i .e .,.how.many.characters. the. field. can. hold),. and. what. kind. of. infor-mation.the.field.will.hold. (i .e .,. if. it.will.hold.numbers,.values,.or.text) .

Once.all.of.the.fields.and.records.have.been.stored,.it.is.time. for. the.database.file. to.be.put. to.work ..The.main.job.of.a.database. is. to.provide.answers. to.questions .. In.fact,.one.of.the.major.components.of.most.databases.is.a.query.tool—a.special.feature.that.lets.you.ask.questions.(queries).that.will.elicit.useful.answers. from.the.stored.data .. For. example,. in. the. previously. mentioned. data-base. of. student. information,. you. might. want. to. know.which.students.have.birthdays.in.March ..You.could.sort.the.data.by. last.name.and.birth.date ..The.database.file.answers. your. question. by. creating. a. query. or. sorting.the.records.and.displaying.only.the.ones.that.meet.your.specified.criteria ..In.addition,.you.can.easily.create.forms.in.which.you.can.enter,.update,.or.display.the.data .

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Using Databases in the ClassroomIn.a.science.or.health.class,.the.students.can.generate.a.database. of. nutritional. information. from. fast-food. res-taurants .. After. all. of. the. information. has. been. entered.into. the. database. file,. the. students. can. then. begin. to.build.comparisons ..The.students.might.ask.the.following.questions:

. •. Which.combo.meal.has.the.most.calories?

. •. Which.burger.has.the.most.grams.of.fat?

. •. How.many.carbohydrates.are.in.a.large.container.of.french.fries?

Throughout. this.activity,. the.students.are.asking.ques-tions,. retrieving.answers,. and.analyzing.and.evaluating.the. results .. In. this.way,.using.database.programs.helps.the.students.to.improve.their.problem-solving.and.criti-cal.thinking.skills ..

There.are.additional.ways.to.integrate.database.programs.into.the.classroom ..Some.of.them.include.collecting.data.on.a.topic.being.studied.in.class,.like.the.Periodic.Table,.presidents,.and.planets ..The.students.can.also.use.data-base. programs. to. collect. sports. data,. to. maintain. lists.of. books. for. recreational. reading,. to. store. facts. about.famous. people. or. events,. or. to. collect. scientific. data ..Databases.can.also.be.used.by.teachers.to.write.form.let-ters.for.parent/teacher.communication,.maintain.a.class-room.inventory,.maintain.a.student.directory,.and.record.and.organize.discipline.referrals.or.classroom.behavior.of.students ..

The.following.project.offers.an.example.of.how.database.programs. can. be. effectively. integrated. into. the. class-room .

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Student Project: Literature Critics (Grades 3–5 and 6–8)This. project. involves. gathering. information. about. dif-ferent.types.of.literature.and.compiling.the.information.into.a.classroom.database ..Throughout.the.school.year,.the.students.can.continually.add.factual.information,.as.well.as.their.opinions,.about.the.different.books,.stories,.and.poems.that.they.have.read .

The. database. should. consist. of. a. number. of. headings.that. reflect. the. type. of. information. that. you. want. the.students. to. enter .. You. should. create. the. database. for.younger. students,. but. for. older. students,. select. two. or.three.students.to.work.on.it.when.they.have.extra.class.time ..Sample.headings.may.include.Student.Name,.Book.Title,. Author,. Publisher,. Copyright. Date,. Genre. (e .g .,.Biography,.Mystery,.Science.Fiction),.Main.Character(s),.Setting,.Plot,.Rating.(1–10),.Recommend?.(Yes/No),.and.Student.Critique ..

As. the. students. finish. reading. their. own. books. or. a.book.assigned.by.the.teacher,.instruct.them.to.enter.the.information.about.the.book.into.the.database.file ..Once.the. information. for. approximately. 20. books. has. been.entered,.the.students.can.begin.to.analyze.the.different.records. in. the.database ..For.example,. students.can.cre-ate.a. list.of.all.of.the.mystery.books.the.class.has.read.or.of. all.of. the.books. rated.above.a.five ..After.printing.a.list,.students.can.meet.to.discuss.and.compare.books.and.make.connections.between.them ..They.can.discuss.different.genres,.expand.on.their.critiques,.explain.how.they.assigned.a.rating,.and.explain.why.they.decided.to.recommend.or.not.recommend.a.particular.book ..They.can.also.print.all.of.their.critiques.and.see.how.they.have.made.progress.in.critiquing.books.over.time ..

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Multimedia Presentation SoftwareRemember. that. in. the. educational. setting,. technology.helps.teachers.shift.from.the.role.of.teacher.as.lecturer.to.teacher.as.coach.(Graham.&.Mason,.2000) ..Presentation.software. makes. it. possible. for. teachers. and. students.to. share. ideas. and. communicate. through. multimedia ..Multimedia.software.programs.enable.not.only.teachers.but.also.students.to.demonstrate,. illustrate,.and.clarify.information.through.the.use.of.technology ..Students.can.construct.and.represent.content.that.they.have.gathered,.analyzed,. and. synthesized. to. create. an. exciting. visual.presentation ..As.an.added.benefit,.students.enjoy.using.multimedia.presentation.software.because.they.can.cre-ate.a.polished,.colorful,.and.animated.presentation.com-plete.with.sound.and.graphics ..Multimedia.is.becoming.the. chosen.media.of. our. students .. “We.grew.up.where.information.was.best.delivered.on.paper ..Our.children,.on.the.other.hand,.are.growing.in.a.world.with.not.only.pictures. and.words.but.where.video.and. sound.abound.and. where. increasingly. we. interact. with. the. informa-tion.that.surrounds.us.in.ways.that.put.us.in.control.of.

Figure 3.7: Sample Database

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knowledge”.(Warlick,.2005,.p ..17) ..Multimedia.is.a.term.that.means.that.text,.graphics,.sound,.video,.and.anima-tion.are.combined. to.create.an. integrated.presentation ..PowerPoint,.HyperStudio,.Kid.Pix,.and.Harvard.Graphics.are.a.few.examples.of.applications.that.can.help.to.create.a.multimedia.presentation .

Using Multimedia Presentation Software in the ClassroomPresentation.software.can.be.incorporated.into.teaching.and. learning. in. a. number. of. ways .. The. most. common.way.is.for.individuals.or.groups.to.create.presentations ..Both.teachers.and.students.(either.individually.or.cooper-atively).can.use.presentation.software.to.create.engaging.presentations.on.a.specific.topic ..For.example,.students.might. share. the. results. of. extensive. research. projects.by.creating.and.presenting.Microsoft.PowerPoint.shows.to. their. class .. As. the. teacher,. you. can. use. multimedia.software. to. present. entire. lessons .. Some. districts. have.purchased.the.extra.equipment.to.display.the.computer.screen. image. onto. a. large. classroom. screen. for. easier.visibility ..Presenting. a. lesson. in. this.way.offers. both. a.visual.guide.and.a.tool.for.reinforcing.the.main.points.of.the.lesson ..

As.a.classroom.teacher,.it.is.extremely.important.to.cre-ate.an.instructional.plan.before.you.start.a.multimedia.project.with.students ..Make.sure. that.you.have.a.clear.purpose.and.a.clear.way. to.evaluate. the. students’.final.projects ..There.are.a.number.of.things.to.consider.as.you.begin.to.plan.your.multimedia.project .

First. of. all,. it. is. very. important. to. create. a. storyboard.before.using.the.software ..The.students.draw.each.slide.or.scene.in.the.squares.of.a.large.grid.(6–8.squares.on.one.piece.of.paper).in.order.to.correctly.sequence.the.project ..Depending.on.the.number.of.slides.in.the.presentation,.each.student.could.end.up.using.several.sheets.of.paper .

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The. second. step. is. to. determine. if. the. students. are. to.work.individually.or.in.small.groups ..It.is.also.important.to.decide.how.the.software.will.be.used.to.help.you.teach.your.curriculum ..Direct.the.students.to.research.a.topic.related.to.what.you.are.studying.and.then.create.a.pre-sentation.using.the.information.they.gathered .

The. third.step. is. to.determine.what.software. to.use .. If.the. school. has. a. variety. of. multimedia. software. pro-grams,.it.is.important.to.determine.whether.the.students.may.individually.choose.the.software.program.they.want.to.use.or. if. all. of. the. students.must.use. the. same.pro-gram ..If.the.students.are.permitted.to.choose.their.own.programs,.you.must.also.make.sure.that.there.are.enough.computers.and/or.software.licenses.for.the.specific.pro-grams.that.the.students.want.to.use ..Furthermore,.if.the.students.choose.different.programs,.you.should.also.be.familiar. with. all. of. the. programs. to. help. the. students.with.their.projects .

The.fourth.step.is.to.consider.computer.access ..A.multi-media.project.can.require.a.great.deal.of.computer.time,.depending. on. the. students’. skill. levels. and. the. project.requirements .. Therefore,. determine. if. the. classroom.computers.will.meet.your.students’.needs.or.if.the.com-puter. lab. must. be. reserved. to. provide. extra. computer.time ..

The.last.step.in.creating.a.multimedia.project.is.to.deter-mine.what.you.expect.from.students.when.their.projects.are.done ..By.presenting.students.with.clear.project.direc-tions. and. a. rubric. that. defines. the. expectations. of. the.completed.project,.you.can.provide.them.with.all.of.the.necessary.information.to.create.a.successful.multimedia.project .

It. is. very. important. to. discuss. with. the. students. the.dos. and. the. don’ts. of. creating. a. multimedia. presenta-tion ..According.to.Teachnology.(2006),.it.is.important.to.

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coach.the.students.to.refrain. from.having.“overzealous.concentration. on. the. utilization. of. PowerPoint,. while.concurrently. disregarding. the. content. being. exhibited”.(What’s.All. the.Hype?.section,.para ..5) ..Students.might.get.so.eager.about.placing.sounds,.clip.art,.and.animation.into.their.presentations.that.they.forget.to.focus.on.the.content.guiding.the.presentation ..By.modeling.appropri-ate.examples.and.carefully.monitoring.student.creative.processes,. teachers. can. emphasize. that. the. content. of.the.presentation.is.much.more.important.than.all.of.the.“bells.and.whistles”.that.are.added.to.the.slides.or.cards.through.the.text,.graphics,.and.backgrounds .

There. are. multiple. ways. in. which. to. incorporate. mul-timedia. projects. into. the. classroom .. Students. can. use.them.to.present.research.reports.or.book.reports,.create.a.portfolio,.or.to.explain.certain.content.area.concepts.to.their. peers .. For. example,. students. can. use. multimedia.software. to. explain. the. various. steps. involved. to. solve.an.equation.in.math.class,.present.information.about.a.famous. ruler.or. facts.about.a. specific.country. in.social.studies. class,. explain. how. the. digestive. system. works.in. science.class,. or. give.a.persuasive. speech. in.English.class .. Below. is. one. detailed. project. that. will. hopefully.spark.additional.ideas.as.to.how.to.integrate.multimedia.projects.into.the.classroom .

Student Project: Disneyland in Space (Grades 3–5)Tell.students.that.Disneyland.has.decided.to.offer.some-thing. exciting. to. its. visitors—a. new. Disneyland. park.located. on. another. planet .. The. problem. is. that. Disney.does.not.know.which.planet.is.the.best.one.for.the.new.park ..Disneyland.needs.the.students’.help ..The.challenge.for. each. student. is. to. figure. out. which. planet. among.three. choices. (Uranus,. Saturn,. and. Jupiter). is. the. best.location.for.the.new.park.and.to.create.a.persuasive.pre-sentation.that.will.convince.the.Disney.executives.of.the.

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findings ..Note.that.this.project.follows.Jamie.McKenzie’s.(2000). methodology. of. conducting. research,. analyz-ing. the. data,. synthesizing. the. data,. and. constructing. a.real-life.presentation ..Not.only.are.students.conducting.research.and. learning.about. the.planets,.but. they.must.apply.the.research.in.a.meaningful.way .

The.teacher.should.monitor.the.students.as.they.conduct.their.research.of.the.three.planets ..The.students.should.research.the.distance.to.each.planet,.the.surface.features,.climate,.and.temperatures.of.each.planet,.the.availability.of.water.on.each.planet,.and.interesting.places.on.each.planet. (i .e .,.potential. locations. for. the.park) ..Be.sure. to.explain.that.fuel.is.expensive.and.that.they.should.con-sider.this.when.researching.the.distance.to.each.planet .

In.their.presentations,.the.students.must.each.present.the.challenge.of.the.project,.describe.each.planet,.and.pres-ent.their.choice.of.planet.and.the.reasons.why.it.is.the.best.location.for.a.new.Disneyland.park ..Figures.3 .8a–c.show.some.sample.template.slides.you.could.present.to.the.class.in.PowerPoint.that.they.will.need.to.fill.in.with.the. information. for. their. presentations .. These. sample.templates. correspond. to. the. slides. on. which. students.would.present.the.project.challenge.and.the.introductory.information.for.the.first.planet ..Figures.3 .9a–c.show.how.the.same.slides.might.look.when.they.are.completed.by.the.students .

Before.beginning.the.project,.develop.a.rubric.explaining.your. expectations. and.present. this. to. the. students. (see.Figure.5 .1.for.a.sample.rubric) ..Providing.students.with.a.rubric.before.starting.a.project.helps.them.clearly.under-stand. the. expectations. for. the. project. and. how. these.expectations.are.guidelines.for.determining.the.extent.to.which.they.are.successful.with.the.project ..Also,.before.students. create. their. presentations,. have. them. create.storyboards.of.their.presentations .

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Figure 3.8a: Sample “Disneyland in Space” Template 1

Excerpted.from.TechTools: Resource Kit for Microsoft PowerPoint..Copyright.©.2003.by.Teacher.Created.Materials,.Inc .

Figure 3.8b: Sample “Disneyland in Space” Template 2

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Figure 3.8c: Sample “Disneyland in Space” Template 3

Excerpted.from.TechTools: Resource Kit for Microsoft PowerPoint..Copyright.©.2003.by.Teacher.Created.Materials,.Inc .

Image.from.Clipart .com

Figure 3.9b: Sample Completed Template 2

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Figure 3.9b: Sample Completed Template 2

Image.from.J .L ..Gutierrez/Shutterstock,.Inc .

Figure 3.9c: Sample Completed Template 3

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As.you.can.see,.there.are.many.ways.to.incorporate.soft-ware.programs. into. the.classroom.in.meaningful.ways ..The.most.important.consideration.is.whether.or.not.stu-dents.are.using.software.programs.to.express.themselves,.apply.knowledge,.create.meaningful.products,.communi-cate,.or.construct.content.related.to.the.curriculum .

The Long-Term Effects of Using Software in the ClassroomResearch. shows. that. not. only. are. teachers. better. pre-pared. than. ever. to. use. software. in. the. classroom,. but.also. that. students. are. increasingly. using. computers. as.tools. with. these. types. of. described. software. programs,.rather.than.preset.tutor.programs.(Kulik,.2003) ..What.are.the.long-term.effects.of.using.software.in.the.classroom?.Recent. studies. show. that. instructional. technology. is.thriving. today,. as. both. teachers. and. students. are. more.computer-literate. and. computers. are. faster,. friendlier,.and.more.accessible.in.schools.(Kulik) ..All.the.described.projects. in. this. chapter. have. demonstrated. that. these.types. of. programs. allow. students. to. use. higher-level.thinking. skills ..Students. tend. to.exhibit. an. increase. in.their. abilities. to. write. well,. a. better. understanding. of.mathematics. skills,. greater. problem-solving. skills,. bet-ter. critical. thinking. skills,. and. more. confidence. in. the.ability. to. use. computers .. One. study. shows. that. when.students. are. given. clear. expectations,. are. assessed. in.an. ongoing. manner,. and. have. the. opportunity. for. peer.feedback,.then.they.become.more.engaged.learners.who.are. responsible. for. their. own. learning,. show. high. lev-els. of. motivation. for. their. course. projects,. and. display.evidence.of.strategic.thought.in.planning.and.executing.their.projects.(McKenzie,.1998) .

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Chapter Three Reflection. 1 .. After.reviewing.the.capabilities.of.word.processing,.database,.

spreadsheet,.multimedia,.and.desktop.publishing.software.programs,.explain.how.they.can.assist.a.teacher.in.being.more.productive .

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. 2 .. Explain.how.the.use.of.software.encourages.higher-level.thinking.skills.(such.as.to.analyze,.evaluate,.and.synthesize).in.student.tasks .

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. 3 .. How.will.integrating.software.programs.into.your.lessons.affect.the.curriculum?

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. 4 .. Think.of.a.unit.of.study.you.currently.teach ..How.could.you.use.one.of.these.software.programs.within.the.unit?.

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________


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Chapter Four

Use the Internet to Teach Information

Literacy

The. Internet. has. introduced. computer. users. to. easy.access.of.valuable.information.and.a.multitude.of.help-ful. resources .. However,. on. the. flip. side,. some. might.argue. that. it. provides. too much. information,. or. “info-glut”.(McKenzie,.2000) ..As.availability.grows.every.day,.students. have. access. to. global. information. anytime,.anyplace;. they. can. even. access. the. Internet. on. their.telephones. (Warlick,. 2005) .. The. National. Center. for.Education.Statistics. (NCES).has.used. its.Fast.Response.Survey. System. (FRSS). to. track. access. to. technology. in.schools. and. classrooms. since. 1994 .. They. found. in. Fall.2003. that. nearly. 100. percent. of. public. schools. in. the.United.States.had.access.to.the.Internet,.compared.with.

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35.percent.in.1994.(Parsad.&.Jones,.2005) ..With.a.simple.search,.you.can.find.thousands.of.websites.on.just.about.any.topic.you.care.to.research ..On.the.other.hand,.some.of. these. websites. will. undoubtedly. be. of. questionable.quality.or.accuracy ..Because.of. the.volume.of. informa-tion. and. the. potential. for. encountering. fraud,. teachers.and. students. must. develop. important. searching. and.critical.thinking.skills.when.using.the.Internet ..Teachers.and.students.must. learn.to.sift. through.the.“info-glut”.and. find. the. information. they. seek .. This. is. a. learned.skill.which.requires.its.own.set.of.higher-order.thinking.skills ..They.must.learn.to.be.critical.of.what.they.read.and.also.learn.how.to.apply.what.is.useful ..Teachers.and.students.who.can.do.this.are.information.literate .

In. addition,. the. Internet. is. a. powerful. communication.tool .. Students. can. develop. important. communication.skills. for. now. and. the. future. by. using. tools. such. as.email,. chat. rooms,. discussion. boards,. listservs,. and.instant.messaging ..However,.students.must.be.taught.to.use.these.tools.wisely ..It.is.well.known.that.students.are.vulnerable.to.fraud.and.malicious.intent.when.participat-ing.in.online.conversations ..Equip.your.students.to.see.beyond.the.words.on.the.Web.page ..Help.them.to.develop.important.critical.thinking.skills.that.will.protect.them.and.enable.them.to.make.the.most.of.the.Internet ..Help.your.students.become.information.literate ..

The. focus. of. this. chapter. is. to. provide. teachers. with.suggestions. and. ideas. for. how. to. use. and. evaluate. the.Internet’s. resources. and. how. to. integrate. the. Internet.into. lessons. so. that. students. can. harness. the. power. of.the.Internet.for.productive.purposes ..

Before.continuing.this.chapter,.check.your.knowledge.to.see.how.familiar.you.are.with.the.Internet.and.commu-nication.using.Internet.technology .

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Use the Internet to Teach Information Literacy


____. 1 .. To.be.information.literate.is.to.know.how.to.navigate.the.Internet .

____. 2 .. Placing.quotation.marks.around.a.phrase.when.searching.will.help.to.narrow.the.search.results .

____. 3 .. The.URL.(Uniform.Resource.Locator).can.help.to.determine.the.authenticity.of.a.website .

____. 4 .. When.you.do.an.Internet.search.and.get.4,500.hits.(results),.the.3,000th.hit.is.just.as.important.as.the.fifth.hit .

____. 5 .. The.Internet.should.be.used.as.a.resource.for.every.student.research.project .

____. 6 .. A.hotlist.is.a.list.of.links.set.up.by.the.teacher.to.direct.students.in.a.classroom.project .

____. 7 .. A.WebQuest.is.another.term.for.surfing.the.Internet .

____. 8 .. Internet.Exchange.Projects.involve.the.collaboration.of.two.or.more.classrooms.that.use.the.Internet.to.share.project-based.information .

____. 9 .. Weblogs.are.for.posting.personal.opinions.and.offer.no.real.educational.benefit .

____. 10 .. There.are.search.engines.that.are.kid-friendly .

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Information LiteracyChapter. One. noted. that. an. information. literate. stu-dent. is. able. to. question,. think. independently,. invent,.research,.and.problem.solve ..What.does.this.mean.in.the.context.of.the.Internet?.As.stated.above,.the.Internet.can.overload. us. with. information .. It. has. provided. schools.with. “unprecedented. access. to. information. in. its. vast-ness,. convenience,. media. formats,. variety. of. perspec-tives,.and.opportunities.for.interactivity”.(Warlick,.2005,.p .. 17) .. The. sheer. volume. of. information. requires. new.approaches. and. even. sharper. critical. thinking. skills ..And.sometimes.this.information.is.unreliable.and.even.fraudulent ..

More.than.ever.before.in.history,.students.must.become.information. literate. in. order. to. succeed. in. school. and.beyond ..Dr ..M ..Ellen.Jay,.the.1999–2000.president.of.the.American.Association.of.School.Librarians.(AASL).says,.“There.is.no.textbook.for.life,.and.schools.can.no.longer.define. success. in. terms. of. student. learning. of. a. prede-termined.set.of. facts ..Schools.need.to.educate.students.to.cope.with.a.future.of.constantly.changing.needs.and.information”.(Jay,.2006,.para ..6) ..

In.addition.to.information.literacy,.many.researchers.and.educators. are. now. considering. other. literacies,. which.are.all.closely.tied.to.the.role.of.the.media.and.technolo-gies. in. students’. education .. Among. these. other. litera-cies. is.media. literacy,.which.Renee.Hobbs. (2006).notes.is. “the. centrality. of. ‘composition’. using. media. tools.and. technologies. .. .. .. [M]edia. literacy. practices. involve.students. in. actively. creating. messages. using. publish-ing. software,. digital. cameras,. video,. and. other. media”..(p ..18) ..There.is.clearly.a.very.fine.line.between.the.defin-ing.characteristics.of.information.literacy.and.media.lit-eracy ..As.more.states.begin.to.implement.media.literacy.standards,.distinctions.between.information.literacy.and.media.literacy.will.become.more.and.more.prominent ..

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So,. how. do. we. help. students. use. the. Internet,. among.other. resources,. to. find,. evaluate,. and. apply. informa-tion?.How.do.we.teach.them.to.carefully.investigate.and.then.draw.new.conclusions,. rather. than. simply. collect.information. on. a. shallow. topic. and. then. regurgitate. it.into.a.report?.This.is.a.tall.order ..Students.today.may.be.skilled.at.navigating. the. Internet,.but. they.may.not.be.wise.investigators.of.information .

This. chapter. will. provide. further. insight. into. informa-tion.literacy.by.outlining.some.of.the.processes,.projects,.and.skills.you.can.use.or.develop.in.your.classroom.by.using.the.Internet.as.a.tool.for.learning .

What Does the Internet Offer to Classroom Research?David. Warlick. (2005). discusses. why. a. teacher. would.even.want.to.use.the.Internet.in.the.classroom ..He.sug-gests. that. the.use.of. the. Internet. invites. collaboration:.“Internet.tools.provide.links.between.people,.links.that.unfold.within.contexts.of.our.professional.and.personal.goals .. Within. these. online. collaborations. and. resulting.virtual. communities,.people. tend. to.accomplish. things.that.are.bigger.than.any.one.of.them”.(p ..34) ..While.stu-dents.often.personally.invite.collaboration.through.email,.video.games. linked.up. to.other.computers,.and. instant.messaging,. they. can. invite. collaboration. in. research.through.other.means ..For.example,.Warlick.explains.that.websites.are.a.close.tie.to.the.author;.students.can.also.use.different.software.for.the.different.purposes.involved.in.the.whole.research.project,.i .e .,.word.processing.soft-ware.for.reporting.and.presentation.software.for.visually.presenting.research;.and.finally,.web-based.services.offer.observation.of.similarities.and.differences.between.vari-ous. authors. on. the. same. subject. matter .. Furthermore,.the.information.on.the.Internet.can.be.more.current.than.available.library.books ..Teachers.should.direct.students.

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to. check. when. the. site. was. last. updated .. The. Internet.provides. access. to. multiple. perspectives,. opinions,. and.views.on.a.single.topic .

The Research CycleAn.excellent.way.to.develop.information.literacy.skills.is.to.direct.students.in.a.research.project ..However,.sim-ply. handing. students. a. topic. and. telling. them. to. find.information.on.that.topic.may.result.in.disorganized.and.shallow.work ..The.students.might.simply.find.informa-tion.on.the.topic.without.any.real.interest.in.the.topic ..They. will. most. likely. try. to. hobble. together. facts. and.other. people’s. opinions. into. some. kind. of. report .. This.process.will.not.develop.higher-order.thinking.skills.and.will.not.engage.students.in.learning .

So,. how. do. you. structure. a. research. project. that. will.interest.students,.teach.them.information.literacy.skills,.and.enable.them.to.draw.their.own.conclusions.and.cre-ate.persuasive.presentations?.By.no.means.is.this.process.Internet-exclusive .. As. a. matter. of. fact,. sometimes. the.Internet.may.not.be.the.best.resource.for.students.to.use ..However,. many. times. it. will. be,. and. that. is. why. this.process.is.described.in.this.chapter ..

Technology. integration. expert. Jamie. McKenzie. advo-cates. that. students. be. taught. to. investigate. questions.by. following.a. research.cycle ..The. steps.of.McKenzie’s.research. cycle. are:. Questioning,. Planning,. Gathering,.Sorting. and. Sifting,. Synthesizing,. Evaluating,. and.Reporting. (McKenzie,. 2000) .. Each. of. these. processes.needs.extensive.teacher.modeling.and.vigilant.monitor-ing.of.students’.computer.use ..

. •. Questioning—The.students.should.spend.ample.time.defining.the.central.question.of.their.research.to.formulate.a.question.that.emphasizes.a.problem.or.decision ..Then,.they.should.brainstorm.related.questions.to.guide.their.research ..

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. •. Planning—The.students.should.brainstorm.the.best.ways.to.find.the.information.they.seek ..They.must.think.about.where.to.find.the.most.reliable.and.pertinent.information ..

. •. Gathering—The.students.should.use.the.identified.resources.to.gather.only.relevant.and.useful.information ..If.the.Internet.is.not.identified.as.the.best.information.source.for.a.topic,.then.students.should.not.use.it ..

. •. Sorting and Sifting—The.students.should.sort.and.sift.through.the.information.and.identify.and.organize.only.those.pieces.that.will.lead.to.further.insight.into.the.question.or.problem.at.hand .

. •. Synthesizing—The.students.should.consider.the.pieces.of.information.identified.during.sorting.and.sifting.and.try.to.find.relationships.and.patterns ..This.process.will.lead.them.to.new.insight .

. •. Evaluating—The.students.should.evaluate.what.they.have.found.and.concluded.and.decide.if.more.information.is.needed .

. •. Reporting—The.students.may.go.through.the.research.cycle.many.times.before.proceeding.to.this.final.step ..Now.the.students.report.their.findings.and.recommendations ..They.may.create.persuasive.presentations.using.presentation.software .

Searching the InternetThere.will.be.many.times.when.the.Internet.is.the.best.resource.for.finding.relevant.information ..Both.teachers.and.students.need.to.learn.how.to.use.it.wisely ..But,.how.can.you.possibly.search.the.Internet.with.any.accuracy.when.it.is.so.vast?.While.most.experts.propose.that.it.is.impossible.to.precisely.pinpoint.the.absolute.size.of.the.entire.Internet,.it.is.estimated.that.the.Internet.is.com-

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posed.of.millions,.or.even.billions,.of.Web.pages ..Here.we.will.outline.some.ways.to.search.the.Internet.effectively,.accurately,.and.wisely ..

There. are. a. number. of. things. that. you. can. do. to. help.make. an. Internet. search. more. effective .. First,. use. a.search. engine .. Search. engines. “are. information. assis-tants. who. aid. you. in. finding. the. information. that. you.need. to.solve.a.problem,.answer.a.question,.or.make.a.decision”. (Warlick,.2005,.p ..126) ..A. search.engine.uses.keywords.or.terms.that.you.enter.to.search.through.mil-lions. of. websites .. Examples. of. search. engines. include.Google,.Yahoo!,.Ask .com,. and.Dogpile .. Start. by. typing.in. very. specific. search. terms .. This. will. help. you. get. a.few.hundred.results.rather.than.millions.of.results ..Each.search.engine.usually.only.displays.up.to.20.results.at.a.time ..Other.search.tips:

. •. Make.sure.that.all.keywords.and.words.in.the.search.phrases.are.spelled.correctly .

. •. Uppercase.and.lowercase.letters.generally.have.no.effect.on.your.search .

. •. Do.the.same.search.using.different.search.engines.or.directories ..

. •. Substitute.keywords.with.appropriate.synonyms.for.alternate.searches .

. •. Keep.track.of.words.or.phrases.that.are.generated.from.your.current.search ..Often,.these.keywords.can.be.used.in.additional.searches.and.generate.new.results.that.are.helpful .

There. are. also. many. kid-friendly. search. engines .. They.tend. to. limit. the. search. results. to. age-appropriate.sites .. Some. search. engines. even. have. educators. verify.the. accuracy. and. appropriateness. of. websites. that. are.accessed. during. the. searches .. Some. examples. of. kid-friendly.search.engines.include.Ask.For.Kids,.KidsClick,.

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Yahooligans!,. and. CyberSleuth. Kids. (see. Appendix. A.for. specific. links. to. these.and.other.kid-friendly.search.engines) .

Knowing.how.to.use.quotation.marks.is.also.very.impor-tant .. Quotes. are. not. needed. when. searching. with. one.keyword ..If.you.are.searching.for.information.about.ele-phants,.you.would.enter.the.word.elephant.or.elephants.in.the.search.box.and.click.the.Search.button ..However,.if.you.are.using.multiple.words.or.a.phrase.to.search.for.information.on.the.Internet,.you.will.want.to.use.quotes.around.all.the.words ..This.will.cause.the.search.engine.to.search.for.the.complete.collection.of.words.instead.of.each. individual. word. separately ..Try. doing. a. search.on.computer virus ..Do.not.use.quotes.the.first.time.but.use.the.quotes.the.second.time ..You.will.notice.a.difference.in.the.number.of.“hits”.(or.search.results),.as.well.as.in.the. content. of. each. search. generated .. When. searching.without. quotes,. the. search. engine. looks. for. websites.containing.any.of.the.words.searched.for ..When.quotes.are.utilized,.the.search.engine.limits.its.search.to.web-sites.containing.all.of.the.words .

Another.way.to.make.your.search.more.accurate.is.to.use.minus.signs ..For.example,.say.you.want.to.do.a.search.on.tent.camping.in.Michigan ..By.preceding.a.word.with.a.minus.sign.(–),.you.are.specifying.that.you.do.not.want.that. word. as. a. part. of. the. search .. Using. this. example,.the.search.criteria.would.look.like.this:.michigan “tent camping”–detroit. This.search.phrase.would.return.the.Web. pages. that. include. locations. in. Michigan. for. tent.camping,.except.for.those.that.mention.Detroit .

In.addition.to.using.search.engines,.there.are.other.areas.on.the.Internet.that.provide.resources.for.research.proj-ects .. Some. sites. have. a. collection. of. links. to. a. variety.of. research. that. is. related. to. its. content .. For. example,.the.website.for.the.International.Society.for.Technology.

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in. Education. (ISTE). has. teacher. planning. resources,.research.on.using.technology.in.the.classroom,.links.to.similar.websites,.and.more ..Online.encyclopedias.are.also.an. excellent. source. of. information,. e .g .,. Encyclopedia.Britannica.Online.and.Wikipedia ..Students.can.also.refer.to.online.dictionaries.and.thesauruses.for.help.with.writ-ing .

Searching, not SurfingIt.is.important.to.remember.that.regardless.of.what.you.or.your. students.do.on. the. Internet,. it.needs. to.have.a.purpose. and. to. be. productive .. Teachers. must. provide.clear. instructions,. precise. expectations,. and. careful.supervision .. Too. often,. students. are. found. surfing. the.Internet.with.no.real.direction.for.what.they.are.trying.to.accomplish;.this.is.not.a.worthwhile.use.of.educational.time.(Dodge,.1997) ..Be.sure.to.give.your.students.some.direction.before. they.begin. searching .. Instruct. them. to.stay.focused.on.the.topic.and.not.become.distracted.by.advertisements,.other.topics.and.websites,.games,.quiz-zes,. chat. rooms,. or. even. email .. Suggest. that. they. use.a. search. engine. and. teach. them. the. search. strategies.outlined. above .. Another. way. to. add. structure. to. stu-dent.time.on.the.Internet.is.to.direct.your.students.in.a.WebQuest ..This.process.is.explained.later.in.the.chapter.under.the.heading.“WebQuests .”

Evaluating Results of SearchesIt.is.not.enough.to.know.how.to.use.a.search.engine.to.find.websites ..Students.also.need.to.learn.how.to.evalu-ate.the.results.of.their.searches.to.see.how.relevant.the.websites.are.to.their.research.questions ..“When.search-ing.the. Internet,.we.are.all.miners.and.engineers ..Each.of.us.must.know.the.technique.for.digging,.but.also.be.skilled.in.seeking.out.clues.so.that.we.can.create.strate-gies.for.knowing.where.to.dig ..Perhaps.the.most.impor-

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tant.thing.to.understand.about.searching.for.information.on. the. Internet. is. the. fact. that. it. is. more. like. being. a.detective. than. being. a. miner”. (Warlick,. 2005,. p .. 110) ..Teach. students. how. to. sort. through. search. results. to.determine.which.ones.are.the.best ..This.teaches.them.an.important.practical.skill.and.gives.them.more.practice.in.critical.thinking ..Learn.the.following.methods.and.then.teach.them.to.your.students .

First.of. all,. look. for. the.keyword(s). or.phrase.you.used.to.search.in.each.returned.result .. It.will.be.highlighted.in. each. result .. The. best. results. will. contain. all. of. the.components.of.your.search.criteria ..Second,.most.search.engines.list.the.search.results.in.the.order.of.relevance ..Therefore,. focus. on. the. first. ten. to. 15. search. results.(or. hits) .. Don’t. waste. time. with. the. rest .. Start. a. new.search.and.evaluate.the.first.ten.to.15.results.of.the.new.search ..Third,.look.at.the.domain.names.(i .e .,.organiza-tion.names).of.the.first.ten.to.15.results ..Choose.those.results.that.are.from.the.most.reliable.sources—the.fol-lowing. section. will. provide. more. information. on. this ..David.Warlick.(2005).discusses.how.successful.Internet.researchers. make. assumptions. about. what. is. available.and.what.clues.they.will.find ..They.are.open.to.different.types.and.formats.of.information.than.they.anticipated ..They.realize.the.search.will.be.a.process.with.a.series.of.searches,.each.one.revealing.new.clues .

Evaluating Website AccuracyWhile.the. Internet. is.a.wealth.of. information,. it. is.not.guaranteed.to.be.correct ..Therefore,.it.is.very.important.to. make. sure. that. the. information. that. you. collect. is.accurate .. The. five. criteria. that. you. can. use. to. check.the.accuracy.of.a.website.are.listed.in.Table.4 .1.(Lamb,.2005) .

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Table 4.1: Five Criteria for Checking Website Accuracy

Criteria: Examples:Accuracy Can.the.author.be.contacted?

What.is.the.purpose.of.this.Web.page?How.accurate.is.the.information?Can.the.same.information.be.found.in.other.sources?

Authority Who.is.the.author.of.the.information?Did.the.author.cite.his/her.sources?Is.the.author.an.authority.on.the.information?

Objectivity How.detailed.is.the.information?Are.there.any.biases.or.opinions.stated.on.the.Web.page?Is.the.Web.page.sponsored.or.supported.by.a.specific.company.or.organization?

Current Is.there.a.copyright.date.on.the.Web.page?When.was.the.Web.page.last.updated?Are.all.of.the.links.up-to-date?

Coverage Is.the.information.on.the.Web.page.correctly.cited.and/or.referenced?Does.the.Web.page.have.any.advertising?Is.the.amount.of.advertising.limited?Has.the.Web.page.won.any.awards?

Another.way.to.evaluate.a.website.is.to.understand.the.URL. (Uniform.Resource.Locator) ..Every.Web.page. that.is. located. on. the. Internet. has. its. own. unique. address ..Each.URL.or.Web.address.is.made.up.of.a.series.of.letters,.numbers,. words,. and. forward. slashes. (/) .. The. URL. has.three.main.components:.the.protocol,.the.domain.name,.and.the.path ..The.following.URL.is.defined.below:.

http://www.teachercreatedmaterials.com.

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The.protocol.is.the.first.part.of.the.Web.address—it.con-sists. of. the. letters. “http,”. which. stand. for. Hyper Text Transfer Protocol ..It.is.the.format.in.which.the.computer.transfers.Web.pages.over.the.Internet ..The.colon.(:).and.slashes. (//).are.separators.between.the.protocol.and.the.domain.name ..

The. domain name. identifies. the. computer. where. the.Web. page. is. stored .. In. the. example. shown. above,. the.domain.name.is.“teachercreatedmaterials .”.The.“www”.at.the.beginning.of.the.address.determines.that.the.host-ing.computer.is.set.up.as.a.web.server ..The.last.part.of.the. domain. name. is. the. extension. “ .com” .. It. signifies.what.type.of.organization.created.or.runs.the.Web.page ..In. this. case,. the. Web. page. is. operated. by. a. business ..There.are.five.major.domain.categories:.“edu”.=.educa-tional. institution;. “org”. =. organization. or. association;.“gov”.=.government;.“com”.=.commercial.or.business;.and. “mil”. =. military .. Others. include. “net”. (network),.“biz”.(business),.and.“tv”.(television) .

The. path. is. the. third. part. of. the. Web. page. address ..The. above. example. does. not. show. a. path,. but. here. is.an. example:. http://www.teachercreatedmaterials.com/technology..The.“technology”.part.of.this.address.is.the.path .. It. determines. the. exact. location.of. the.Web.page.on.the.Web.server ..It.follows.the.extension.with.a.slash.(/).and.a.series.of.letters,.numbers,.words,.and.additional.slashes ..It.will.often.end.with.the.file.extension.“html”.or.“htm,”.which.indicates.that.the.file.was.created.with.the.coding.language.that.is.used.to.create.Web.pages ..The.“html”.stands.for.Hyper Text Markup Language .

Why. is. it. important. to. understand. the. components. of.a. Web. address. or. URL?. Knowing. the. components. of. a.Web.address.will.help.you.and.your.students.evaluate.if.a.website.or.Web.page.is.from.a.respected.organization ..For.example,.let’s.say.you.conduct.a.search.on.elephants ..

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If.you.see.a.search.result.from.nationalgeographic.com,.you.can.be.confident.that.it.will.have.accurate.and.reli-able. information .. However,. the. same. search. will. yield.other.results,.some.of.which.will.be.from.organizations.you.have.never.heard.of.or.from.sites.like.geocities .com,.where.Web.pages.are.created.by.home.users,.i .e .,.anybody.with.access.to.the.Internet .

If.you.do.encounter.a.URL.showing.a.domain.name,.i .e .,.organization.name,. that.you.are.not. familiar.with,. and.it. looks. like. it.might.have.pertinent. information,.click.the. link. and. quickly. determine. if. it’s. from. a. respected.organization ..To.do.this,.scan.the.website’s.home.page ..Often,. it. will. display. the. organization’s. name .. If. it. is.a. museum,. governmental. body,. significant. nonprofit.organization,. significant. news. organization,. or. well-respected.company,.you.can.probably. trust. its. content ..If. the. organization’s. name. isn’t. displayed,. look. at. the.bottom. of. the. page .. The. small. print. will. usually. state.copyright.information.and.the.organization.that.created.the. page .. Another. place. to. look. is. in. the. “About. Us”.section ..Some.organizations.will.describe. their.history,.accomplishments,.and.objectives.here .

Finding Missing Web PagesKnowing. how. to. read. a. URL. can. also. help. you. find. a.missing.Web.page ..If.you.follow.a.link.or.type.in.a.Web.address. like. http://www.teachercreatedmaterials.com/technology. and. the. page. no. longer. exists,. try. truncat-ing.the.Web.address.to.search.only.for.the.organization ..For.example,.shorten.the.address.to.http://www.teacher createdmaterials.com.by.deleting.the.path.“technology .”.Once.you.are.on.the.organization’s.home.page,.use.the.organization’s. search.engine. to.find. the.page.you.need ..In.this.case,.you.would.search.for.“technology .”.In.most.cases,.the.page.was.moved.to.a.new.address.and.simply.starting. from. the. organization’s. home. page. will. allow.

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you. to. find. it .. Knowing. the. parts. of. the. URL. or. Web.address.helps.you.to.change.your.search.slightly.and.find.what.you.are.looking.for .

Looking Out for Danger and FraudAs. previously. alluded. to,. websites. and. chat. rooms. can.be.places.where.fraud.and.danger.lurk ..Users.face.email.viruses.that.can.destroy.computer.hardware,.inappropri-ate.websites,. computer.hackers.who.are. trying. to. steal.identities. and. personal. information,. and. predators. pos-ing.as.someone.else ..Teaching.students.to.be.critical.of.information.on.the.Internet.will.give.them.the.tools.they.need.to.protect.themselves ..A.student.who.is.practiced.at. critiquing. websites. will. develop. an. automatic. radar.for. danger .. However,. cautious. teacher. monitoring. will.always.be.necessary,. as. teachers.must.protect. students.from.offensive.or.dangerous.material.on.the.Internet.and.protect.their.identities.(Warlick,.2005) ..ISTE.found.that.districts. vary. in. their. approach. to. these. problems .. In.some.schools,.students.are.only.allowed.Internet.access.with. adult. supervision .. Other. schools. use. blocking. or.filtering. software. to. prevent. access. to. inappropriate.websites .. Others. require. students. and. parents. to. sign.a. contract. about. acceptable. Internet. use. (Moursund. &.Smith,.2000) ..

The. National. Center. for. Education. Statistics. (NCES).found. that. in. 2003. almost. all. public. schools. with.Internet. access. (97. percent). used. various. technologies.or.procedures.to.control.student.access.to.inappropriate.material. on. the. Internet. (Parsad. &. Jones,. 2005) .. David.Warlick.(2005).suggests.that.teachers.go.one.step.further.and.teach.their.students.the.responsibility.of.not.being.part.of.the.danger.in.the.future ..He.mentions.that.tech-nology-savvy.students.are.often.the.source.of.dangerous.and. costly. computer. viruses. sent. through. email .. “It. is.our. responsibility. as. educators. to. teach. our. children.

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that.the.information.infrastructure.is.where.we.live ..We.depend. on. it. to. support. our. economy,. entertainment,.friendships,. safety,. and. education .. .. .. .. We. must. teach.children.to.protect.the.information”.(p ..107) .

Citing SourcesThe. first. two. NETS. standards. for. students. under. the.social,.ethical,.and.human.issues.category.are.the.follow-ing.(ISTE,.2000,.p ..14):

. •. Students.understand.the.ethical,.cultural,.and.societal.issues.related.to.technology .

. •. Students.practice.responsible.use.of.technology.systems,.information,.and.software .

As.we.continue.to.encourage.students.to.use.the.Internet.as.a. resource. for.school.projects,.we.need.to.remember.to. reinforce. these. standards. by. teaching. students. the.importance.of.properly.citing.sources ..Tell.students.that.the.words,.music,.and.art.that.they.find.on.the.Internet.and.in.other.resources.are.created.by.people.who.put.a.lot.of.thought.and.time.into.their.work ..By.wanting.to.use.other.people’s.work,.the.students.are.recognizing.that.it.is.something.valuable ..In.order.to.show.their.respect.for.what.it.is.they.want.to.use.and.for.the.person.who.cre-ated.it,.they.should.always.give.proper.credit ..

There.are.multiple.sites.on.the.Internet.that.help.teach-ers. to. address. these. issues. with. their. students .. David.Warlick’s.Landmark.Project.is.a.website.that.provides.a.“Permission.Template”.that.students.can.use.to.request.permission. to. use. material. from. a. website .. To. find. it.online,.go.to.http://landmark-project.com/permission1.php.

Be. aware. that. plagiarism. is. a. growing. problem .. With.the. ability. to. cut. and. paste. text,. students. are. quick. to.highlight,.copy,.and.paste.information.from.an.Internet.

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source. and. place. it. directly. into. their. own. documents ..It. is. also. important. to. teach. students. that. they.cannot.just. copy. large. sections. from. an. author’s. work. even.when. citing. the. source .. It. is. extremely. important. that.students.fully.understand.the.concepts.of.copyright.and.plagiarism .

Student Projects That Utilize the InternetThis. section.briefly.describes.various.projects. that. stu-dents. can. accomplish. using. the. Internet .. Included. are.examples.of.how.the.Internet.can.be.a.powerful.tool.for.shaping. real-world. lessons. and. for. developing. critical.thinking.skills ..

Participating in Scientific ResearchAn. excellent. way. to. connect. your. classroom. with. the.real. world. is. to. involve. students. in. a. genuine. ongoing.scientific.research.project.found.online.(Roschelle.et.al .,.2001) .. As. students. participate. in. the. project,. they. will.collect.data,.practice.the.scientific.method,.use.critical.thinking.skills,.learn.important.science.concepts,.devel-op.and.apply.math.skills.and.concepts,.develop.respect.for.scientists.and.their.work,.insert.themselves.into.the.role.of.a.scientist,.and.imagine.possible.future.studies.or.careers .

There.are.numerous.ways.to.involve.students.in.actual.scientific.expeditions.and.research ..Students.participat-ing.in.the.GLOBE.(Global.Learning.and.Observations.to.Benefit.the.Environment).program.take.measurements.in.their.local.area,.send.the.data.over.the.Internet,.publish.research. projects,. create. maps. and. graphs,. and. collabo-rate. with. scientists. around. the. world. (Roschelle. et. al .,.2001) .. To. find. out. more. about. GLOBE,. simply. search.the.Internet.using.the.keywords.“The.GLOBE.Program .”.

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Other. projects. that. involve. students. in. data. gathering.include.the.JASON.Project.and.Global.Lab.Curriculum ..Find.more.information.about.these.programs.by.search-ing. using. the. keywords. “The. JASON. Project”. and.“Global.Lab.Curriculum .”

The. above. projects. require. a. significant. investment. of.your.time.as.the.teacher ..However,.there.are.other.less.time-consuming. ways. to. involve. students. in. scientific.research.online ..For.example,.the.Center.for.Innovation.in. Engineering. and. Science. Education. (CIESE). provides.several. collaborative. online. research. projects. for. stu-dents ..At.the.time.of.this.book’s.printing,.the.site.offers.nine. projects. spanning. different. periods. of. the. school.year ..The.projects.include:.(1).Human.Genetics:.Students.collect. data. on. traits. of. classmates,. compile. data. from.students.around.the.world,.and.analyze.the.data.to.draw.conclusions.about.phenotypes.and.dominant.alleles;.and.(2). Bucket. Buddies:. Students. collect. and. test. samples.of. pond. water,. compile. data. from. students. around. the.world,. and. draw. conclusions. to. see. if. the. organisms.are. the. same. in. ponds. around. the. world .. To. find. the.CIESE.projects,.search.using.the.keyword.“CIESE”. (see.Appendix.A.for.direct.links.to.these.resources.for.scien-tific.research) .

WebQuests According. to. Bernie. Dodge. (1997),. “A. WebQuest. is. an.inquiry-oriented.activity.in.which.some.or.all.of.the.infor-mation.that.learners.interact.with.comes.from.resources.on. the. Internet”. (Definitions. section) .. A. WebQuest.starts. with. a. problem. or. question. and. directs. students.to.the.online.resources.needed.to.answer.the.question.or.solve.the.problem ..The.emphasis.is.not.on.finding.infor-mation,.but.instead.is.intended.to.challenge.students.to.think.about.that.information.in.a.critical.way ..“Students.usually. work. in. teams,. and. most. WebQuests. result. in.

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the.construction.of.an.information.product.designed.for.an.authentic.audience.and.to.achieve.an.authentic.goal”.(Warlick,. 2005,. p .. 221) .. Bernie. Dodge. and. Tom. March.developed.WebQuests.as.a.way.to.structure.and.deepen.student.learning.on.the.Internet ..

According.to.Dodge.(1997),.worthwhile.WebQuests.must.have.six.different.components:.

. 1 .. An.introduction.to.the.project

. 2 .. An.interesting.and.viable.task

. 3 .. A.set.of.information.sources.needed.to.complete.the.task,.such.as.websites,.experts.available.via.technology,.online.databases,.and.even.books.and.other.hard-copy.materials.immediately.in.the.students’.vicinity

. 4 .. A.description.of.the.process.students.should.use.to.complete.the.task

. 5 .. Information.on.how.to.organize.the.information.found

. 6 .. A.conclusion.that.invites.students.to.reflect.on.what.they.have.learned

There. are. a. multitude. of. WebQuests. available. on. the.Internet .. They. provide. an. easy. way. for. teachers. who.are.still.cautious.about.using.the.Internet.to.get.started.(Warlick,.2005) .

Many. WebQuests. provide. students. with. outstanding.opportunities.to.learn.about.and.use.Internet.resources ..However,.as.a.classroom.teacher,.it.is.very.important.to.evaluate.the.WebQuest.before.using.it.in.the.classroom ..Some.questions.to.ask.are:

. •. Does.this.WebQuest.fit.with.the.goals.and.objectives.of.my.curriculum?

. •. What.will.my.students.learn.from.this.activity?

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. •. Will.the.WebQuest.activity.enhance.the.learning.of.my.students.more.than.teaching.the.information.to.the.students.in.a.traditional.manner.would?

. •. Will.the.WebQuest.activity.cause.my.students.to.use.higher-order.thinking.skills.and.to.think.critically.about.the.information.that.they.find?

To. view. sample. WebQuests,. try. doing. a. search. on. the.phrases.“educational.webquests”.or.“teacher.webquests .”.Your.hits.will.include.multiple.teacher-made.WebQuests.for.all.content.areas ..As.you. look.over. the.WebQuests,.determine.if.they.are.comprised.of.the.six.different.com-ponents.listed.above ..Also,.see.if.the.problems.or.ques-tions. posed. at. the. beginning. of. the. WebQuest. can. be.answered.with.the.provided.resources .

Internet Exchange ProjectsInternet.Exchange.Projects.involve.collaboration.between.two. or. more. classrooms. that. use. the. Internet. to. share.information ..Internet.Exchange.Projects.include.Keypals.(email. pen. pals),. cross-cultural. exchange. projects,. and.any.other. collaborative.project. among.classes. in.differ-ent. schools .. Benefits. of. Internet. Exchange. Projects. are.many .. By. communicating. with. other. classrooms. from.all.over.the.world,.students.learn.about.different.cultures.and. world. regions .. The. students. see. firsthand. how. the.Internet.can.bring.people.together.and.serve.as.a.valuable.source.of.information ..Through.the.use.of.email.and.the.sharing.of.documents,.students.learn.the.importance.of.correct.spelling,.sentence.structure,.and.topic.organiza-tion. when. communicating. with. others .. David. Warlick.(2005). writes. of. a. fourth-grade. classroom. in. an. urban.New. Jersey. school. that. used. email. to. become. “ePals”.with.students.in.Italy ..That.year,.the.literacy.test.scores.dramatically. improved,. even. above. the. scores. of. the.previous.students.of.this.same.teacher ..The.administra-

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tion. and. teachers. credited. this. increase. to. the. use. of.the. email. project .. “Using. a. computer. with. email,. and.having.a.peer.somewhere.in.the.world.is.highly.motivat-ing. to. students ..They. form.a.new.desire. and. reason. to.write.well—to.communicate ..Students.will.learn,.when.they. want. to. learn,. and. they. will. develop. skills,. when.those.skills.mean.something.to.their.lives—right.now”.(Warlick,.p ..68) .

There. are. two. ways. to. initiate. an. Internet. Exchange.Project.as.a.class.project ..You.can.use.an.existing.Internet.Exchange. Project. website. or. spontaneously. develop. a.project.while.communicating.with.another.teacher.over.the. Internet .. Website. projects. are. a. more. permanent.form. of. Internet. Exchange. Projects .. They. are. regularly.available.to.teachers.and.their.classrooms ..Teachers.can.use. them.with.multiple. classes. from.year. to.year ..The.spontaneous. projects. are. not. ones. already. available. to.teachers ..As. teachers.chat.and.email.over. the. Internet,.they. share. ideas .. As. one. of. these. ideas. grows. into. a.joint. project. between. the. two. classrooms,. an. Internet.Exchange.Project.is.spontaneously.born .

There.are.several.websites.that.offer. ideas. for.potential.Internet. Exchange. Projects. or. participation. in. existing.ones .. Some. of. these. sites. include. Global. SchoolNet.Internet.Projects.Registry,. the.Flat.Stanley.Project,. and.the. Global. Virtual. Classroom .. Search. for. one. of. these.online.(see.Appendix.A.for.specific.links) .

Below. is. a. detailed. project. that. will. hopefully. spark.additional.ideas.as.to.how.to.integrate.Internet.Exchange.Projects.into.the.classroom .

Student Project: Mystery RegionsThis. Internet. Exchange. Project. involves. collaborating.with.classrooms.from.all.over.the.United.States.or.from.all.over.the.world ..You.can.start.by.communicating.with.

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other. teachers. from. different. regions .. While. you. may.know.the.origin.of.the.different.classrooms,.the.students.must. discover. the. mystery. regions. and. determine. the.actual.location.of.each.classroom ..

In.order.to.complete.this.Internet.Exchange.Project,.fol-low.these.steps:

. •. First,.connect.with.multiple.teachers.from.around.the.country.or.from.around.the.world ..Together,.the.teachers.must.decide.how.the.students.will.communicate.and.how.often ..They.must.also.determine.how.long.the.project.will.last ..The.teachers.decide.what.kinds.of.questions.the.students.can.ask.of.each.other,.how.the.students.will.answer.the.questions.(complete.answers.or.just.yes.and.no),.and.how.often.they.can.guess.the.locations.of.the.mystery.classrooms .

. •. The.second.step.is.to.have.the.students.generate.a.list.of.questions.for.the.mystery.classrooms ..Depending.on.the.number.of.classroom.computers.and.mystery.classrooms,.you.will.probably.need.to.place.the.students.into.teams ..Remember.that.there.are.many.benefits.to.grouping.the.students,.such.as.differentiating.the.lesson.for.students.of.different.abilities.and.encouraging.group.problem.solving ..Each.team.is.then.assigned.a.specific.mystery.location .

. •. The.third.step.is.to.direct.the.students.to.communicate.with.their.individual.mystery.classrooms ..They.might.ask.questions.about.the.local.weather,.the.changing.of.seasons,.natural.resources,.or.local.food.preferences ..As.they.hear.back.from.their.mystery.classroom,.the.students.must.record.the.answers ..After.several.questions.have.been.answered,.the.students.can.begin.to.determine.the.location.of.the.mystery.region ..At.the.same.time,.each.group.of.students.will.be.

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answering.questions.via.email.about.their.region.so.that.another.classroom.can.figure.out.where.they.are.located .

. •. The.last.step.is.to.have.the.students.use.various.map.resources.to.help.them.determine.the.location.of.the.mystery.classroom ..If.the.students.think.that.they.have.figured.out.the.mystery,.they.should.contact.the.mystery.classroom.with.their.guess ..If.they.are.wrong,.the.students.should.reevaluate.their.information.to.come.up.with.a.different.location ..If.the.students.are.correct,.then.they.can.continue.to.communicate.with.the.mystery.classroom,.asking.more.specific.questions.about.the.particular.region .

Hotlists: Direct Students on the InternetHotlists.are.lists.of.links.that.help.focus.students.during.the.learning.process ..They.send.students.to.specific.sites.that.address.the.same.or.similar.topics ..A.hotlist.directs.students.to.particular.teacher-chosen.websites.that.will.be.used.to.complete.a.class.activity ..Hotlists.can.also.be.used. to. help. direct. students. during. a. research. project ..Hotlists.save.class.time—students.click.on.links.to.navi-gate. to. websites. rather. than. type. in. website. addresses ..Hotlists. are. different. from. WebQuests. in. that. hotlists.are. lists. of. resources. whereas. WebQuests. are. an. entire.structured.inquiry.activity.within.themselves .

You. have. a. few. options. when. creating. a. hotlist .. One.option. is. to. generate. a. list. of. URLs. on. a. classroom. or.district. Web. page .. The. hyperlinks. will. direct. the. stu-dents. to. specific. Web. pages. so. that. they. can. find. the.answers.to.a.set.of.questions.that.the.teacher.has.asked ..Another.option.is.to.use.the.website.called.Filamentality.(simply.do.an.online.search.for.“filamentality”) ..Anyone.can. access. the. site. in. order. to. create. a. list. of. specific.sites. that. provide. resources. to. students. and. teachers ..

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To. locate. existing. hotlists. on. the. Internet,. try. doing. a.search.on.the.phrases.“educational.hotlists”.or.“teacher.hotlists .”.Your.hits.will.include.multiple.teacher-made,.museum-made,. or. educational. organization-made. hot-lists.for.many.content.areas .

Internet Communication ToolsIf.your.students.use.the. Internet,. they.will.most. likely.be. familiar. with. the. tools. of. communication. such. as.email. and. instant. messaging .. However,. while. students.may.know.how.to.operate.and.use.these.tools,.they.may.not.know.“netiquette”.(i .e .,.the.rules.for.good.emailing.behavior),. the.dangers.associated.with.these.tools,.how.to.use.them.to.enhance.their.education,.or.the.full.range.of. communication. power. and. resources. at. their. finger-tips .

EmailEmail. has. become. an. integral. part. of. communication.between. teachers,. students,. parents,. and. administra-tors .. It.allows.students.to.send.questions,.assignments,.papers,.and.comments.to.teachers.24.hours.a.day,.seven.days. a. week .. Teachers. can. then. reply. to. the. students.between.classes,.in.the.evenings,.or.even.on.weekends ..Parents.can.also.have.the.same.type.of.access.to.teachers.if.they.have.questions.or.concerns.about.the.progress.of.their.child.in.school .

Email Dos and Don’tsBecause. email. is. so. important. to. the. communication.process.within.a.school,.it.is.important.to.be.aware.of.the.dos.and.don’ts.of.email,.also.known.as.netiquette ..There.are.some.starting.points.listed.here ..However,.a.teacher.can.also.type.“netiquette”.into.a.search.engine.to.learn.more. about. it,. or. the. class. can. create. an. agreement. of.proper.netiquette.as.a.contract ..It.is.important.to.double-

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check. the. accuracy. of. the. email. address. of. the. person.you. are. emailing .. It. can. be. embarrassing. if. you. send. a.personal.email.to.the.wrong.person ..Another.“do”.is.to.always.include.a.descriptive.phrase.on.the.subject.line ..If.a.person.is.short.on.time.and.scanning.through.a.list.of.emails,.a.descriptive.subject.line.gives.the.person.an.idea.of.the.content.of.the.email ..It.is.also.common.courtesy.to.reply.to.all.emails.within.24.hours,.if.at.all.possible ..

Another.useful.tip. is.to.create.a.separate.email.address.to. use. exclusively. when. ordering. from. the. Internet. or.giving.your.information.to.any.business.or.organization ..Set.up.this.email.account.with.a.free.Web-based.service.like.Hotmail,.Yahoo!,.or.Google ..When.you.sign.up.for.something.over.the.Internet,.your.email.address.is.often.sold. to. other. businesses .. Your. personal. email. account.could. then. be. inundated. with. junk. email .. The. email.account.you.set.up.for.Internet.business.will.collect.all.of.the.unwanted.spam,.which.leaves.your.personal.email.account.clean .

There.are.also.many.“don’ts”.when.using.email ..Never.send. anything. in. an. email. that. you. do. not. want. to. be.public .. People. mistakenly. believe. that. email. is. private.and.personal ..However,.no.email.is.private ..Even.if.you.delete.an.email.from.your.computer,.an.expert.can.usu-ally.find.a.way.to.retrieve.it ..

If.you.do.not.recognize.the.email.address.of.the.sender.or.are.not.expecting.an.email.with.an.attachment,.even.from. someone. you. know,. do. not. open. any. file. that. is.attached.to.an.email ..Viruses.lurk.in.emails.and.are.just.waiting. to.be.unleashed.onto.your. computer ..They.are.designed.to.erase.information.on.your.computer.or.cause.your.programs.to.do.strange.functions ..

Also,.when.writing.an.email,.try.not.to.write.words.in.all.capital. letters—this. is.considered. to.be.shouting.at. the.person.who.is. reading.the.email ..Lastly,.before.sending.

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a.very.large.attachment.with.an.email,.it.is.a.good.idea.to. check. with. the. recipient. first .. That. person. may. be.restricted.to.a.specific.amount.of.space.on.his/her.email.server .

Discussion BoardsDiscussion. boards. are. places. on. the. Internet. where.computer.users.can.post.messages. to.which.others.can.respond ..Users.do.not.have.to.be.online.at.the.same.time ..There.are.discussion.boards.for.almost.every.topic ..The.topics.can.range.from.personal.medical.matters.to.intel-lectual.discussions.and.critiques ..

You. can. use. discussion. boards. to. enhance. learning. by.starting. a. conversation. about. a. topic. studied. in. class ..The.students.are.invited.(or.assigned).to.visit.the.discus-sion.board.and.add.their.opinions ..This.can.prepare.the.students.for.an.upcoming.classroom.discussion ..A.related.idea.is.to.post.a.question.or.problem.that.is.an.extension.of. something. studied. in. class .. The. students. who. want.to.delve.a.little.deeper.into.the.topic.can.participate.in.the.online.discussion ..While.all.students.can.participate,.this.is.a.good.way.to.extend.learning.for.more.advanced.students ..To.create.a.discussion.board,.try.using.Nicenet.(simply. conduct. a. search. for. “nicenet”) .. Many. school.districts.also.purchase.subscriptions.for.teachers.and.stu-dents.to.Blackboard ..Blackboard.is.a.fee-based.version.of.Nicenet.that.allows.teachers.to.create.discussion.boards.and.manage.entire.courses .

As. a. professional. educator,. you. can. access. discussion.boards. to. seek. advice. on. lesson. plans,. classroom. man-agement,. differentiation,. working. with. colleagues. and.administrators,. and. other. topics. related. to. your. field ..To. find. discussion. boards,. try. searching. using. the. key.phrases. “teacher. discussion. board”. or. “teacher. discus-sion.forum .”

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WeblogsA.weblog.is.also.known.as.a.Web.log.or.a.blog ..It.is.basi-cally. a. personal. journal. Web. page .. Individuals. create..Web.pages.where.they.can.share.their.personal.thoughts.or.their.knowledge.on.specific.topics ..“Most.frequently,.blogs.are.used.as.a.diary.of.what.people.are.experiencing,.thinking,.inventing,.feeling,.and.learning ..Most.are.rants,.many. are. celebrations,. and. some. are. serious. examina-tions. of. issues. that. you. may. be. teaching,. written. by.experts.in.the.field”.(Warlick,.2005,.p ..52) ..Weblogs.can.be. published. on. Web. pages. using. a. free. Web. server. on.the.Internet,.or.they.can.be.developed.using.a.blog.pub-lishing.tool ..Once.a.weblog.is.created,.the.owner.adds.to.it. at.will ..The. information. is.usually.posted. in. reverse.chronological.order ..

For.teachers.and.students,.weblogs.can.add.an.interesting.component. to. online. learning .. Weblogs. can. encourage.students.to.publish.their.writings.and.share.them.with.peers. worldwide .. It. can. create. a. collaborative. online.learning. environment. as. multiple. students. share. their.own. ideas. and. respond. to. others .. When. published. by.teachers,. weblogs. can. be. an. open. form. of. communica-

Teach Students to “Chat” with CautionStudents. may. decide. to. participate. in. discussion.boards,. chat. rooms,.or. instant.messaging.outside.of.school ..Advise.students.to.be.wary.of.the.people.with. whom. they. communicate. online .. Instruct.them. to. always. be. aware. that. people. can. write.anything. about. themselves—there. is. no. way. to.verify.the.identities.of.people.met.online ..Children.and. teenagers. have. been. taken. advantage. of. by.people.pretending.to.be.someone.else .

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tion.with.students.and.parents ..Teachers.can.post.class-related. information. like. calendars,. homework. assign-ments,. and. project. due. dates .. Teachers. can. also. con-tinue.a.discussion.begun.in.class ..There.are.blog.search.engines,.such.as.Bloglines .com.that.search.for.topics.in.blogs ..However,.teachers.should.monitor.student.use.as.every.topic.is.freely.discussed.(Warlick,.2005) .

ListservsListservs.are.similar.to.weblogs—individuals.post.ideas.and.questions.and.others.read.the.postings.and.respond ..However,.unlike.weblogs,.listservs.are.not.run.from.Web.pages .. Listserv. messages. are. sent. and. received. through.email. programs .. Therefore,. in. order. to. receive. emails.from.a.listserv,.you.have.to.sign.up ..Your.name.will.then.be.put.on.an.electronic.mailing.list .

To. become. part. of. a. listserv,. you. must. send. an. email.message.requesting.a.subscription.to.the.list ..After.your.subscription.has.been.accepted,.the.person.who.monitors.the. list.will.send.you.a.“welcome.letter”.that.explains.how. that. particular. listserv. works .. All. email. messages.sent. to. the. list. will. be. distributed. to. all. subscribers’.email.inboxes ..You.are.able.to.unsubscribe.from.the.list-serv.at.any.time ..If.you.sign.up.for.multiple.listservs.or.any.that.send.a.large.number.of.messages,.you.may.want.to.maintain.a.separate.email.account.dedicated.to.your.listserv.accounts .

Chat RoomsA. chat. room. is. a. place. on. the. Internet. where. you. can.have. live. conversations. with. multiple. people. at. the.same.time ..It.is.like.having.a.conference.call,.except.that.you.are.typing.on.a.keyboard.rather.than.talking.into.a.phone ..Everyone.who.is.in.the.chat.room.can.see.what.you.type ..

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Chat.rooms.are.one.of.the.most.interactive.areas.on.the.Internet,.and.a.favorite.location.for.teachers.and.students.to.interact.with.their.peers ..There.are.different.levels.of.supervision.in.chat.rooms—some.are.open.environments.with.no.moderation,.others.have.leaders.who.moderate.the.discussion,.and.still.others.have.monitors.who.assess.what.people.write.before.anyone.else.sees.it ..If.individu-als.in.the.chat.room.misbehave,.the.monitors.can.warn.them.or.bar.them.from.further.participation .

For.teachers,.a.chat.room.is.an.excellent.place.to.share.ideas.with. colleagues .. It. is. also. a. place.where. teachers.can. interact. with. their. students. and. help. them. with.homework. questions .. For. students,. a. chat. room. can.become.an.interactive.classroom ..They.can.meet.up.with.an.expert.and.discuss.various.topics.that.they.are.learn-ing.in.school .

There. are,. however,. concerns. about. using. chat. rooms ..Students.and.the.chat.rooms.that.they.use.must.be.mon-itored ..It.is.important.for.teachers.to.choose.chat.rooms.that.are.student-friendly ..Students.should.be.warned.not.to.give.out.personal.information,.as.the.others.involved.may.not.be.who.they.claim.to.be ..Student-friendly.chat.rooms.have.a. strong.monitoring. system.built. in. to. the.environment ..This.helps.to.prevent.the.use.of. inappro-priate.language.and.topics.within.the.chat.room .

Instant MessagingInstant.messaging.is.software.that.lets.a.person.instantly.send. messages. from. one. computer. to. another .. It. is. a.form.of.instant.email.where.one.talks.with.someone.in.real.time,.and.it.is.very.popular.with.both.children.and.adults ..When.you. log.on.to.your.computer,. the. instant.messaging.program.lets.you.know.when.your.friends.or.family. are. online,. usually. by. playing. a. specific. sound ..A.small.window.will. appear.which.allows.you. to. send.them.short.messages .

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There.are.many.ways.to.use.the.Internet.in.your.class-room.to.broaden.and.deepen.student.learning ..However,.as. you. have. read,. the. Internet. is. a. powerful. tool,. and.like.all.powerful. tools,. there.are.certain.ways. to.use. it.efficiently.and.effectively ..From.guiding.student.research.to. making. use. of. tools. like. discussion. boards,. you. can.harness. the. power. of. the. Internet. for. your. classroom ..Finally,. remember. that. it. takes. time .. Teachers. are.often. surprised. at. how. much. student. learning. time. is.required.before.students.begin. to.make.effective.use.of.the. Internet. to. learn. other. subject. areas. (Moursund. &.Smith,.2000) .

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Chapter Four Reflection. 1 .. How.could.you.use.email.to.increase.understanding.and.share.ideas?.

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. 2 .. How.would.incorporating.hotlists,.Internet.Exchange.Projects,.and.WebQuests.into.your.teaching.benefit.you.and.your.students?

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. 3 .. In.what.ways.will.integrating.the.Internet.into.your.classroom.activities.help.to.improve.students’.problem-solving.and.critical.thinking.skills?

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. 4 .. Explain.how.using.the.Internet.and.communicating.through.technology.can.help.to.improve.your.productivity.and.that.of.your.students .

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

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Chapter Five

Assessing Project-Based Learning

The.term.assessment.means.to.effectively.measure.stu-dent.learning.using.a.variety.of.tools,.such.as.academic.standards,. rubrics,. teacher. observations,. performance.assessments,. portfolios,. and. traditional. tests .. Effective.teachers. use. the. data. from. student. assessments. and.reflection. of. their. own. teaching. to. plan. and. conduct.their. further. teaching. objectives. (Norman. &. Hayden,.2002) ..Assessment.tends.to.make.teachers.groan.as.they.consider. high-stakes. state. standardized. testing. and. the.increasing.pressure. to.perform.well ..Many.districts. are.pushing.the.teachers.of.students.who.are.low-performing.to. move. to. scripted. content. programs. with. little. room.for. teaching. creativity .. The. public. criticizes. teachers.who.spend.all.year.teaching.to.the.test.but.also.hold.the.test.results.in.esteem ..However,.there.is.also.a.growing.

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movement.to.shift.away.from.spending.the.entire.school.year. in. preparation. for. the. multiple-choice. testing. and.rather. toward. promoting. higher-order. thinking. skills.in. the. classroom ..These. critical. skills. prepare. students.for. real-life. problem. solving .. Educational. reformers.summon.teachers.to.align.curriculum.content,. instruc-tional. methods,. and. assessment .. Recently,. this. move.for. change. has. shaped. the. foundation. for. a. growing.emphasis. on. authentic. assessment .. Authentic. assess-ments. are. defined. as. performance-based,. realistic,. and.instructionally. appropriate. (Moursund. &. Smith,. 2000) ..Students. have. a. wider. range. of. ability. than. they. can.show. on. a. standardized. assessment .. “In. order. to. show.these.capabilities,.however,.they.need.learning.environ-ments.which.are.responsive.to.the.many.individual.dif-ferences.which.influence.learning”.(Chard.&.Katz,.2001,.Learning. section,. para .. 2) .. Project-based. learning. using.technology.is.one.compelling.way.to.approach.authentic.skills.being.assessed.in.genuine.ways .

How.is.project-based.learning.involving.technology.best.assessed?.This.chapter.offers.answers.to.that.question ..In.addition,.this.chapter.explores.how.technology.can.be.an.assessment.tool.and.touches.on.how.to.use.technology.for.testing.and.for.helping.students.create.ePortfolios .

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_____. 1 .. Assessment.rubrics.only.benefit.the.teacher,.not.the.students .

_____. 2 .. Before.creating.a.rubric,.it.is.important.for.the.teacher.to.know.which.performance.criteria.he/she.wants.to.evaluate .

_____. 3 .. The.ISTE.NETS.for.Students.performance.indicators.can.provide.a.teacher.with.performance.criteria.when.developing.a.rubric.for.a.lesson.involving.technology .

_____. 4 .. When.students.are.given.a.rubric.before.they.start.a.project,.they.have.a.better.understanding.of.the.teacher’s.expectations .

_____. 5 .. Objective.tests.can.effectively.measure.critical.thinking.skills .

_____. 6 .. Online.testing.results.can.be.more.beneficial.to.skilled.computer.users .

_____. 7 .. Receiving.an.immediate.report.of.students’.test.scores.is.an.advantage.to.an.online.testing.program .

_____. 8 .. Electronic.portfolios.(or.ePortfolios).are.not.assessments.in.themselves,.but.a.collection.of.work.to.be.assessed .

_____. 9 .. Work.that.the.students.have.done.collaboratively.can.be.duplicated.and.saved.in.multiple.students’.ePortfolios .

_____. 10 .. Eportfolios.usually.become.very.large.files.because.of.the.different.images.that.are.included .

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Project-Based Learning and AssessmentsProject-based. learning. is. powerful .. Sylvia. Chard. and.Lilian.Katz.(2001).define.a.project.as.“an.in-depth.inves-tigation.of.a.real-world.topic.worthy.of.children’s.atten-tion. and. effort”. (Definition. section,. para .. 1) .. Students.who.are.engaged.in.project-based.learning.take.on.chal-lenging,. interesting. tasks .. They. use. the. appropriate.tools,.often.technological.ones ..During.the.project,.they.engage. in. discussing,. analyzing,. problem. solving,. and.drawing. conclusions. in. groups. and. individually .. This.type. of. learning. prepares. them. to. problem. solve,. con-struct.meaning,.and.communicate.with.others.now.and.in.the.future ..There.is.growing.agreement.that.problem.solving. and. other. higher-order. skills. should. be. given.more. importance. (Moursund. &. Smith,. 2000) .. Project-based.learning.takes.time ..Some.of.the.most.important.learning. that. happens. may. not. automatically. be. dem-onstrated.on. state. standardized. testing .. “This.does.not.reflect.poorly.on.project-based.learning,.it.reflects.poorly.on.the.prevailing.nature.of.educational.assessment ..But.that’s.another.issue”.(Warlick,.2005,.p ..216) .

This.vision.of.project-based.learning.using.technology.is.a. constant. theme. throughout. this. book,. but. an. impor-tant. piece. of. project-based. learning. has. been. missing.thus.far—assessment ..“Projects,.like.good.stories,.have.a.beginning,.a.middle,.and.an.end ..This.temporal.structure.helps.the.teacher.to.organize.the.progression.of.activities.according. to. the. development. of. the. children’s. inter-ests.and.personal.involvement.with.the.topic.of.study”.(Chard.&.Katz,.2001,.Three.Phases.section,.para ..1) ..The.“end”.is.the.assessment ..Without.the.assessment.piece,.student.projects.will.have.little.focus,.students.will.have.little.direction,.and.the.results.will.be.below.par ..

However,.before.diving.into.how.to.assess.project-based.learning,.let’s.review.different.types.of.assessments .

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Different Types of AssessmentsTraditional. forms. of. assessment. are. usually. what. we.think. of. when. we. discuss. measuring. student. learning ..Traditional. testing. includes.objective. tests,.which.con-tain.questions.for.which.there.is.only.one.correct.answer.(e .g .,.multiple.choice,.true.and.false,.fill-in-the-blank,.and.short-answer. questions) .. This. type. of. testing. measures.student.knowledge.of.a.particular.topic ..These.tests.are.often.summative,.meaning.they.only.test.the.end.result.of.the.learning.process ..While.objective.testing.does.have.its.place.at.times,.it.cannot.effectively.measure.the.wide.range.of.skills.that.students.should.be.learning.in.school ..It. certainly. cannot. measure. critical. thinking,. problem-solving,.or.communication.skills.effectively ..

Another.form.of.assessment.is.subjective.tests ..Subjective.testing.relies.on.the.teacher’s.judgment.for.assessing.the.students’. knowledge .. The. questions. are. usually. short-answer. or. essay. questions. and. tend. to. be. more. open-ended .. This. type. of. testing. can. help. measure. student.thought.processes.and.critical.thinking.skills ..However,.it.offers.one.view.of.what.a.student.has. learned.and. is.limited.to.what.a.student.can.clearly.express.in.writing ..

Yet. another. form. of. assessment. is. authentic. or. perfor-mance-based. assessment .. This. is. how. project-based.learning. is. best. assessed .. An. authentic. assessment. can.measure.student.effort,.problem-solving.skills,.speaking.skills,.comprehension.of.the.learning.objectives,.and.the.student’s. ability. to. draw. conclusions. and. create. solu-tions ..These.assessments.also.lend.themselves.to.being.formative,. meaning. that. they. assess. student. progress.throughout. the. learning. process .. The. process. of. using.authentic. assessments. can. include. rubrics,. portfolios,.and.ePortfolios .

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Project-Based Learning Assessments: Rubrics, Portfolios, and EportfoliosThe.tools.and.methods.for.assessing.project-based.learn-ing.are.explained.in.the.following.paragraphs ..Above.all,.assessments. should. be. based. on. students’. performance.of.real.tasks ..The.entire.course.of.the.project.should.be.assessed,.not.just.the.end.product.(McKenzie,.1998) ..The.following. components. of. assessing. project-based. learn-ing.help.accomplish.these.important.goals .

RubricsThe.assessment.component.of.a.project.or.other.authen-tic. learning. experience. guides. the. entire. learning. pro-cess ..Usually.the.guidelines.for.a.project.are.spelled.out.in.a.rubric ..“In.short. it. is.a. list.of.objectives,.what.the.student.will.learn.or.learn.to.do.as.a.result.of.complet-ing.the.assignment ..For.each.objective,.a.rubric.will.also.list.performance.indicators,.observable.evidence.that.the.student.has.gained.the.objective.knowledge.and/or.skills.to.varying.degrees,.each.degree.having.an.assigned.num-ber.of.points.leading.to.a.grade”.(Warlick,.2005,.p ..236) ..Assessment. rubrics. list. the. appropriate. performance.criteria. for. student. success .. Rubrics. provide. objective.guidelines.to.measure.and.evaluate.student.understand-ing ..They.also. improve. learning.because. students.have.an.opportunity.to.see.the.project.expectations.before.the.project. is.due. (Stiggins,.1997) ..The.students.can.review.the.guidelines.as.they.complete.their.work ..“Authentic.assignments. also. lend. themselves. especially. well. to.the. use. of. student-produced. rubrics. and. the. resulting.authentic.assessments ..The.student’s.goals.can.become.part.of.the.rubric’s.goals,.with.teacher-.or.student-defined.benchmarks ..This.gives.students.a. ruler.with.which.to.measure.their.success.and.teachers.have.a.tool.to.assess.the.students’.learning”.(Warlick,.2005,.p ..162) ..

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Teachers.who.consistently.use.rubrics.believe.that.they.improve. students’. end. products. and. therefore. increase.learning.(Goodrich,.1997) ..When.teachers.use.rubrics.to.evaluate.papers.or.projects,.they.know.specifically.what.makes. an. acceptable. final. product. and. why .. By. giving.the. students. the. rubric.before. they. start. their. projects,.they.are.being.given.the.opportunity.to.know.how.they.will.be.evaluated.and.can.prepare.accordingly ..The.stu-dents.can.better.match.their.efforts.to.teacher.expecta-tions.if.standards.and.rubrics.are.clearly.explained.from.the.beginning. (McKenzie,. 1998) ..Developing. a. grid. and.making.it.available.as.a.tool.for.student.use.will.provide.the.scaffolding.necessary.to.improve.the.quality.of.their.work. and. increase. their. knowledge .. Rubrics. can. prove.to.be.useful.tools.as.teachers.lead.students.to.complete.projects. involving.technology ..Rubrics.can.measure.the.knowledge.and.critical.thinking.skills.that.teachers.hope.the.students.will.develop.while.working.on.the.assigned.project.or. problem ..Keep. in.mind. that. rubrics. can.also.measure.the.technology.skills.and.knowledge.that.teach-ers.are.responsible.for.teaching .

How to Create a RubricBefore.creating.a.rubric,.you.will.need.to.determine.the.performance. criteria .. Generate. a. list. of. items. of. what.you.expect.the.students.to.do.as.they.work.on.the.proj-ect .. Then. generate. another. list. of. items. of. what. you.expect. the.final.project. to.have.or. look. like ..Once.you.have.these.two.lists,.highlight.items.of.major.importance.and. eliminate. items. of. minimal. importance .. The. final.number.of.performance.criteria. is.up. to.you ..However,.the.more.detailed.the.list,.the.more.involved.the.scoring.process .

Figure. 5 .1. on. page. 128. shows. a. sample. rubric. for. the.Disneyland. in. Space. project. described. in. Chapter. 3 ..Note.that.this.rubric.also.provides.space.for.student.self-assessment.as.well.as.peer.assessment .

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When.creating.a.rubric,.many.teachers.prefer.to.use.four-point.or.five-point.scales ..Rubrics.that.list.fewer.perfor-mance.levels.are.often.too.restrictive ..They.do.not.easily.accommodate. students. with. varying. learning. abilities ..Rubrics.that.list.more.than.five.performance.levels.tend.to.be.too.detailed,.which.makes.them.more.difficult.to.create.and.use.when.evaluating ..They.would.also.be.diffi-cult.when.students.are.using.them.for.self-evaluation ..Be.sure. each.performance. level. is.well-defined .. Start.with.the. lowest. performance. level .. Determine. exactly. what.you. will. not. accept. as. a. completed. project .. Next,. cre-ate.the.performance-level.criteria.for.the.second-highest.or. third-highest. level .. At. this. point,. determine. exactly.what.average.performance.criteria.you.can.expect. from.all.of.the.students ..This.level.defines.the.acceptable.final.project ..The.next.step.is.to.create.the.performance-level.criteria. for. the. highest. point. on. the. scale .. You. should.determine.exactly.what.makes.an.outstanding.or.“above.and. beyond”. project .. Then,. create. the. performance-level.criteria.for.other.categories.within.the.point.scale ..Finally,.evaluate.the.performance.criteria.on.either.side.(high.or.low).of.the.point.scale.to.fill.in.any.level.you.feel.is.incomplete ..Determine.if.you.need.to.create.a.perfor-mance.level.between.any.two.existing.ones .

It.is.important.to.realize.that.a.rubric.is.always.a.work-.in-progress ..Each.time.it.is.used,.reevaluate.it.and.modify.it. to. fit. your. revised. expectations. of. the. students. and.their. projects .. Once. your. rubric. is. completed,. be. sure.to.share.it.with.students.before.they.start.their.project ..Expectations. must. be. clear. from. the. beginning. of. the.project .. The. students. should. be. able. to. compare. their.progress.to.a.model.(McKenzie,.1998) ..

Technology. software. can. be. a. great. asset. for. teachers.designing. rubrics .. You. can. create. rubrics. using. word.processing,.desktop.publishing,.or.spreadsheet.software ..Word.processing.programs.allow.you.to.make.tables. to.display.the.various.levels.of.the.performance.criteria ..If.

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you.are.using.a.spreadsheet,.simply.create.a.grid.with.the.appropriate.number.of.rows.and.columns.(depending.on.the. number. of. performance. criteria. you. have. created),.then.fill. in.the.boxes ..See.Appendix.B.for.online.rubric.resources. to.help.you.get. started.on.creating.your.own.rubrics .

Technology Performance CriteriaOf. course,. the. ISTE. NETS. for. students. is. an. excellent.place. to. turn. when. looking. for. technology-related. per-formance. criteria. for. your. rubrics .. Remember. that. the.technology.skills.the.students.will.use.during.the.project.are.just.one.piece.of.what.you.are.assessing ..Your.rubric.should.also.contain.curriculum-based.learning.objectives.and. perhaps. critical. thinking. skills,. communication.skills,. and. student. effort .. If. the. project. is. large,. con-sider.creating.different.rubrics.to.assess.different.areas.of.learning ..Especially.useful.to.you.will.be.the.ISTE.perfor-mance.indicators,.which.are.outlined.in.the.student.pro-files.(see.Chapter.Two.for.a.listing.of.various.examples.of.performance.indicators.students.should.master.through.different.grade.levels) ..Refer.also.to.the.ISTE.website.for.the. student. profiles. and. performance. indicators. of. all.the. grade. levels .. Find. the. performance. indicators. that.correlate.to.your.lesson.and.then.rewrite.them.in.more.specific.terms.to.create.your.performance.criteria ..

You. can. view. a. rubric. of. technology. skills. and. knowl-edge.that.is.based.on.the.NETS.for.students ..The.rubric.correlates.each.of.the.ISTE.NETS.for.students.with.the.appropriate. skills. that. the. PreK–12. students. should. be.able.to.accomplish ..Search.online.using.the.key.phrase.“NETS.for.Students:.Achievement.Rubric .”

Portfolios and EportfoliosIn. recent. years,. there. has. been. an. emphasis. on. using.portfolios. and. ePortfolios. (or. electronic. portfolios). to.

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assess. students. engaged. in. authentic. or. project-based.learning ..Portfolios.are.collections.of.student.work.and.the. products. of. their. learning .. Typically,. the. students.select.the.pieces.that.they.feel.best.represent.their.learn-ing. and. skill .. Portfolio. pieces. are. usually.best. assessed.using.rubrics ..

Eportfolios.are.digital.portfolios.that.are.stored.on.com-puters .. They. can. contain. presentations,. writings,. and.other.products.that.students.have.constructed.using.the.computer ..They.can.also.contain.artwork.or.other.prod-ucts.that.have.been.scanned.and.stored.digitally ..

It.is.important.to.note.that.the.products.that.the.students.create.on.the.computer.can.be.used.in.either.a.hard.copy.portfolio.or. an.ePortfolio ..The. students.do.not.have. to.create.ePortfolios.to.collect.and.store.the.products.they.make.with.a.computer .. If. the.students.are.not.creating.ePortfolios,.instruct.them.to.print.the.products.they.feel.best.represent.their.learning.and.store.the.hard.copies.in.their.portfolios .

More About EportfoliosThere. are. three. distinct. advantages. to. having. students.create. ePortfolios:. ease. of. storage,. use. of. multimedia.skills,. and. use. of. computer. skills .. With. a. traditional.portfolio,. a. student. collects. items. that. showcase. his/her.talents.and.then.puts.them.in.a.large.folder,.binder,.or. box .. Eportfolios. allow. the. information. to. be. stored.digitally.on.a.floppy.disk,.zip.disk,.CD,.or.portable.drive.(e .g .,.a.jump.or.flash.drive) ..Eportfolios.not.only.take.up.little. physical. space,. but. they. also. hold. a. great. deal. of.information ..Pictures,.artwork,.and.writing.samples.can.be.scanned,.saved,.and.later.imported.into.the.software.program ..Eportfolios.can.be.transferred.to. future.teach-ers.in.years.ahead.to.show.growth.through.grade.levels ..Samples.of. students. reading.orally.can.be. recorded.and.saved.to.the.ePortfolio.as.audio.files ..Another.important.

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component. of. an. ePortfolio. is. that. work. that. students.have.done.collaboratively.can.be.duplicated.and.placed.into.each.of.the.students’.portfolios .

In.order.to.create.an.ePortfolio,.the.teacher.and.the.stu-dents.will.need.access.to.different.types.of.hardware.and.software ..When.checking.for.the.correct.hardware.com-ponents,. the. teacher’s. computer. should. have. as. much.memory.(RAM).as.possible ..This.allows.the.computer.to.run.the.necessary.software.and.external.devices.without.freezing. up .. Since. ePortfolios. tend. to. be. large. in. size,.the.computer.should.also.have.a.large.hard.drive,.a.CD.burner,.or.at. least.one.USB.port.to.attach.a. jump.drive.so.that.all.of.the.students’.files.can.be.saved.in.one.loca-tion ..If.a.student.plans.to.add.video.to.his/her.ePortfolio,.it.is.also.important.that.the.computer.have.video.input.and.output.ports ..A.flatbed.scanner.is.also.a.very.valu-able. hardware. device .. The. student. or. teacher. can. use.the. scanner. to. turn.paper. assignments.and.photos. into.digital.images ..A.digital.camera.can.be.used.to.take.still.pictures. or. to. capture. video. that. can. be. added. to. the.student’s.ePortfolio .

Consider. having. the. students. create. an. ePortfolio. (or.traditional.portfolio).to.showcase.any.type.of.computer.product ..You.might.have.them.include.multimedia.prod-ucts. from. programs. such. as. PowerPoint,. HyperStudio,.Kid. Pix,. DreamWeaver,. or. FrontPage .. You. can. also.encourage. them. to. include. products. made. with. word.processors.(e .g .,.Microsoft.Word.and.AppleWorks),.graph-ic.organizer.software.(e .g .,.Inspiration.and.Kidspiration),.and.movie.creators.(e .g .,.iMovie.and.Director) .

The. next. step. in. the. process. of. creating. an. ePortfolio.is.planning .. In.other.words,. this. is.not.a. task. that.you.should.start. in.the.last.two.months.of.the.school.year!.There. are. several. things. to. consider .. The. students. and.teacher.need. to.determine.exactly.which. items.will.be.included.in.the.ePortfolio ..It.is.important.to.include.pic-

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tures.of.the.individual.students,.pictures.or.videos.of.the.students’.projects,.and.electronic.or.scanned.versions.of.the.students’.papers.and.assignments ..The.students.also.need.to.create.a.storyboard.to.help.determine.the.order.of.their.slides,.cards,.or.pages,.depending.on.what.type.of.software.they.are.using .

Before. the. students. begin. to. create. their. ePortfolios,.make.sure.that.the.computers.and.software.are.working.and.ready.for.the.students ..While.this.project.is.extreme-ly. rewarding,. it. can. easily. become. a. nightmare. if. the.technology.is.not.ready.when.the.students.are .

As.assignments.and.projects.are.completed,.graded,.and.returned. to. the. students,. convert. them. to. the. digital.format ..This.eliminates. the.need.to.do.all.of. the.docu-ments.for.all.of.the.students.at.one.time.at.the.end.of.the.school.year ..Also,.decide.how.the.digital.documents.and.files.will.be.stored.until.they.are.placed.in.the.ePortfolio ..Because. the. digital. files. can. be. quite. large,. investigate.using.the.school.network,.a.specified.hard.drive.location,.or.jump.drives.to.store.the.students’.files .

The.last.step.for.the.teacher.is.to.decide.how.the.ePort-folio.will.be.evaluated ..A.rubric.is.recommended ..While.the. students. will. have. varying. levels. of. academic. and.technological. skills,. the. assessment. component. should.be.equal.for.all.students ..The.rubric.should.be.given.to.the.students.at.the.onset.of.the.ePortfolio.assignment,.so.they.will.have.a.complete.understanding.of.the.teacher’s.expectations .

Once.you.have.organized.the.students’.work,.the.ePort-folio. can. be. assembled .. With. the. help. of. multimedia.software,. the. ePortfolio. can. be. enhanced. by. adding.sound,. music,. pictures,. graphics,. and. even. video .. The.compilation. of. all. of. these. elements. helps. to. make. it.more. interesting.and.visually.appealing. to. the. student,.parent,.and.teacher ..

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Electronic. portfolios. also. serve. to. enhance. computer.and.technology.skills ..The.teacher.and.students.gain.the.experience. of. using. a. variety. of. hardware. and. software.products.by.creating,. selecting,.organizing,.editing,.and.evaluating. the. portfolios .. The. students. begin. to. feel. a.sense.of.accomplishment.by.sharing.and.presenting.their.ePortfolios.to.their.teacher,.classmates,.and.parents .

Technological Tools That Can Be Used to Assess StudentsTechnology. has. multiple. functions. in. assessment ..Students.can.create.products.using.technology.that.you.can.then.assess.using.a.portfolio.and/or.rubric ..But,.there.are. also. technological. tools. that. can. help. you. assess.your.students ..Ideas.for.using.these.in.the.classroom.are.described.below .

Concept MapsTry.using.concept.maps.created.with.a.graphic.organizer.software. program. (e .g .,. Inspiration). to. assess. student.learning .. Direct. the. students. to. create. a. concept. map.showing. their. prior. knowledge. of. a. topic. before. begin-ning.instruction.on.that.topic ..Then,.after.the.lesson.or.unit,.instruct.the.students.to.create.a.concept.map.again.showing. their. new. understanding. of. the. same. topic ..The.result.will.be.a.clear.view.of.how.much.they.have.learned.and.how.well.integrated.their.understanding.has.become.(Thornburg,.2002) .

Online TestingThere.are.several.companies.that.offer.online.testing.ser-vices ..While.some.programs.utilize.random.test.question.generators. (for. example,. in. math. programs),. others. use.a.bank.of.possible.test.questions.for.teachers.to.choose.from.that.can.be.distinguished.by.content.area,.instruc-

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tional. level,. instructional. objective,. difficulty. of. item,.and.more.(Moursund.&.Smith,.2000) .

Using.computers.to.administer.tests.has.several.distinct.advantages ..You.can.alter. the.test.questions.or.content.to.meet.the.needs.of.all.students ..You.and.your.students.can. receive. an. immediate. reporting. of. the. test. scores ..Some.computer-adaptive.testing.has.the.ability.to.adjust.to.the.performance.level.of.the.test.taker,.quickly.choos-ing.questions.that.are.appropriate.to.the.level.of.knowl-edge.of.the.test.taker.(Moursund.&.Smith,.2000) ..You.can.elect.to.electronically.transfer.test.results.to.your.email.or.grade.book.program ..The.quick.turnaround.of.online.test. results. will. help. you. adapt. teaching. methods. and.curricula.to.meet.the.needs.of.individual.students .

There.are.disadvantages.to.online.testing.as.well ..A.pri-mary.disadvantage.can.be.the.cost.involved.in.the.start-up.and.maintenance.of.the.hardware.and.the.software ..Also,.there.is.a.chance.that.stored.assessment.data.can.be.lost.if. the. computer. system. crashes .. In. addition,. computer.access.could.become.an.issue ..Students.who.have.more.experience.with.computers.tend.to.be.better.keyboarders.and.might.have.an.advantage.with.computer-based.tests.over.those.who.lack.access.and.skills ..As.with.all.tools.at.the.disposal.of.the.teacher,.it.is.best.to.use.online.testing.along.with.other.methods.for.evaluating.students .

Interactive Response SystemsQuite. often,. classroom. assessments. consist. of. paper-and-pencil.tests ..However,.with.the.use.of.an.Interactive.Response.System.(IRS),. the.traditional.paper-and-pencil.test.does.not.have.to.be.the.only.form.of.objective-based.assessments .. The. IRS. consists. of. a. receiver. unit. and. a.classroom.set.of.response.pads ..You.can.ask.the.students.a.series.of.questions,.project.the.questions.onto.a.televi-sion.or.video.screen,.or.provide.the.students.with.a.paper.

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version.of.the.test ..To.answer.the.questions,.the.students.point. their. response. pads. toward. the. receiver. unit. and.press. the. button. that. corresponds. with. their. answers ..The.receiver.logs.the.students’.answers.on.the.teacher’s.computer. and. then. tallies. each. student’s. correct. and.incorrect.answers .

By.using. the. Interactive.Response.System. in. the. class-room,.the.teacher.breaks.up.the.monotony.of.classroom.lectures ..The.teacher.also.gets.an.instant.tally.of.correct.and. incorrect. answers .. This. provides. a. way. for. teach-ers. to. check. for. understanding. and. adjust. the. content.delivery.through.the.lesson ..Struggling.readers.have.the.advantage. of. hearing. the. question. and. displaying. their.content.knowledge ..It.also.allows.the.students.to.provide.anonymous. responses. to. the. teacher’s. questions .. This.helps. to. encourage. complete. classroom. participation ..The. information. can. be. used. to. determine. if. a. certain.concept.or.objective.should.be.retaught .

Student Self-AssessmentWith.a.tool.as.powerful.as.technology,.the.teacher.should.not. be. the. only. one. assessing. progress .. This. book. has.continually.referred.to.technology.as.a.way.to.build.high-er-level.thinking.and.critical.thinking.skills ..Therefore,.students.need. to.be.using. these. skills. to.monitor. their.own.progress.on.specific.projects.as.well.as.their.overall.technology.use ..The.students.should.have.some.respon-sibility. in. assessing. progress. and. quality .. This. may. be.the. most. difficult. component. for. a. teacher. to. include.in. a. learning-based. project,. but. it. is. highly. worth. the.effort. (Warlick,.2005) ..Student.assessment.can.take.the.form.of.self-evaluation.and/or.peer.evaluation ..Students.need. to. learn. how. to. shape. and. improve. their. own.efforts. (McKenzie,. 1998) .. David. Warlick. mentions. an.Internet.Project.contest,.called.the.International.Schools.Cyberfair.sponsored.by.Global.SchoolNet,.where.the.par-

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ticipants.also.act.as.the.judges ..When.a.class.registers.to.participate,.they.receive.other.entries.to.judge.according.to. a. rubric ..They.are. charged.with. the. task.of. evaluat-ing.the.others.as.seriously.as.they.hope.to.be.evaluated ..“Many. teachers. have. reported. that. the. evaluation. pro-cess. was. just. as. valuable. to. their. students. as. building.their.community.web.site”.(Warlick,.p ..39) .

As. you. can. see,. there. are. many. ways. to. use. technol-ogy. to. assess. students .. Assessment. should. be. ongoing.and.frequent ..Vigilant.teachers.monitor.throughout.the.project,.changing.teaching.strategies.and.asking.students.to. adjust. their. efforts .. Teachers. should. employ. assess-ment. as. a. tool. to. further. support. development. in. the.project. (McKenzie,. 1998) .. Educational. reformers. have.emphasized.the.need.for.alternatives.to.multiple-choice.questions .. Some. of. these. alternatives. include. student.self-evaluation,. open-ended. questions,. student. writing.projects,.explanation.of.the.reasoning.behind.their.prob-lem-solving. work,. use. of. rubrics,. and. portfolio. assess-ment.(Moursund.&.Smith,.2000) ..Add.these.tools.to.your.repertoire.to.obtain.a.clearer.picture.of.student.progress .

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Chapter Five Reflection. 1 .. What.are.some.advantages.to.using.an.ePortfolio.as.a.student.

assessment?

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. 2 .. What.do.you.think.is.the.most.important.step.in.creating.a.rubric?.Explain.why.you.think.so .

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. 3 .. Briefly.compare.objective.assessments,.subjective.assessments,.and.project-based.assessments .

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. 4 .. How.would.you.assess.the.effectiveness.of.online.testing.programs?

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

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Chapter Six

Manage Your Classroom Using

Technology

Remember.that.a.computer,.or.any.form.of.technology,.is.a.learning.tool.and.not.a.teacher ..Computers.enhance.the. learning. environment,. they. do. not. directly. teach ..Computers. can. assist. you. to. better. present. or. share.information.with.your.students ..

Along.this.same.vein,.a.computer.by.itself.cannot.man-age. your. classroom. nor. do. your. paperwork .. However,.computers. can. certainly. assist. you. with. these. profes-sional.duties ..In.fact,.a.single.computer.can.significantly.reduce.your.workload.and.help.keep.you.and.your.stu-dents.organized ..Keep.in.mind.that.there.are.also.other.forms.of.technology.that.can.help.you ..Read.this.chapter.to. learn.ways. in.which.a.computer. and.other. forms.of.technology.can.help.you.manage.your.classroom,.man-age. your. students,. and. complete. administrative. tasks ..Also.included.in.this.chapter.are.tips.for.where.to.place.computers. in.your.classroom.and.how.to.schedule.stu-dent.access.to.computers .

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_____. 1 .. The.term.technology.refers.only.to.computers .

_____. 2 .. You.must.be.completely.computer.literate.before.trying.to.use.one.to.accomplish.organizational.and.administrative.tasks .

_____. 3 .. Even.with.just.one.computer.in.the.classroom,.many.useful.duties.can.be.accomplished ..

_____. 4 .. Technology.gadgets.can.also.help.you.manage.your.classroom .

_____. 5 .. Student.access.to.a.computer.should.be.equal.for.all.students .

_____. 6 .. One.online.teacher.tool.can.randomly.select.which.student.will.give.an.answer.during.a.classroom.discussion .

_____. 7 .. Well-defined.project.tasks.with.scheduled.computer.time.are.better.than.large,.ill-defined.projects.with.unscheduled.computer.time .

_____. 8 .. It.is.difficult.to.do.cooperative.learning.activities.using.computers .

_____. 9 .. Test.and.activity.sheet.generators,.either.online.or.as.software,.can.save.a.teacher.a.large.amount.of.time .

_____. 10 .. Creating.bookmarks,.or.favorites,.prevents.the.students.from.wasting.time.when.accessing.the.Internet.during.class.activities .

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Manage Your Classroom Using Technology

Use Technology to Manage Your ClassroomTechnology. can.be. an. integral. tool. for. classroom.man-agement ..By.using.technology.and.a.variety.of.software.programs,. you. can. simplify. the. process. of. getting. your.classroom. ready. before. the. school. year. starts .. In. one.study,. teachers. were. surveyed. and. indicated. that. they.recognized. the. importance. of. computer. technology. in.teacher-related.functions.such.as.attendance-taking.and.record-keeping,.communication,. research.and.planning,.and.classroom.instruction.(Ascione,.2005) ..

The.research.shows.countless.ways.that.technology.can.be.of.use. to. teachers. in.preparation. for. teaching. in. the.classroom ..If.you.are.not.comfortable.using.a.computer,.select.one.or.two.simple.tasks.to.try.first.and.do.the.rest.in.the.traditional.manner ..As.the.school.year.progresses,.try. to.use. the.computer. to.complete.a. few.more.tasks ..After. a.while,. you.will. be. able. to.use. the.computer. to.help. you. with. many. organizational. and. administrative.tasks,.and.you.will.save.yourself.a.great.deal.of.time.and.energy .

Getting Ready Before School StartsAs.a.teacher,.you.think.about.your.classroom.and.your.students.weeks.before.the.doors.open.for.the.first.day.of.school ..You.are.anxious.to.get.your.classroom.ready.and.organized .. By. turning. to. technology,. your. preparation.time.can.be.significantly.reduced .

For. example,. try. using. word. processing. or. spreadsheet.software. to. create. seating. charts,. class. lists,. and. class.schedules ..At. the. elementary. level,. use. a.word.proces-sor. to. generate. desk. name. tags,. student. name. tags,.“Welcome”. signs,. and. an. initial. letter. for. parents ..Use.preprinted. sticker. name. tags. to. quickly. label. any. sup-plies. that. the.students.bring. into. the.classroom.on.the.

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first.day.or.later ..A.spreadsheet.can.be.used.easily.to.cre-ate.a.scheduling.chart.during.parent.conference.week ..It.can.also.be.used.to.create.a.chart. for.classroom.library.checkout .. Use. desktop. publishing. to. create. visual. dis-plays.of.content.standards.and.lesson.objectives.that.you.will.be.addressing.throughout.the.year ..

At. the. middle. school. and. high. school. levels,. you. can.begin. preparing. multimedia. presentations. to. commu-nicate.class. rules,. teacher.expectations,.or.an.overview.of.the.semester.or.school.year ..You.can.also.set.up.elec-tronic.grade.books.using.rosters.of.students’.names ..Use.this.time.to.prepare.some.of.the.learning.tools.your.stu-dents.will. frequently.use.during.the.year ..For.example,.an.English.teacher.can.use.word.processing.or.multime-dia. programs. for. creating. organizers. that. can. facilitate.the.writing.process ..Both.programs.have.advanced.chart.and. graphic. display. functions. (Brabec,. Fisher,. &. Pitler,.2004) .. Create. rubrics,. reflection. papers,. checklists,. or.other.tools.that.students.will.use.for.self-assessment.or.recurring. classroom. processes .. Chapter. Five. discussed.extensively.the.use.of.rubrics ..Teachers.can.use.various.software.programs.to.create.rubrics ..Rubrics.can.also.be.created.for.cooperative.groups.to.assess.their.own.effec-tiveness.at.working.in.a.team.(Brabec.et.al .) ..For.lesson.planning,.look.up.websites.of.textbook.publishers ..These.often.have.suggested.activities,.organized.by.chapter.and.unit ..“Suggested.activities.can.provide.cues.for.students.to.activate.prior.knowledge.and.anticipate.new.content;.unit. and. chapter. outlines. available. on. these. sites. also.can.serve.as.advance.organizers”.(Brabec.et.al .,.p ..9) .

Further Ways to Use Technology in Your ClassroomWith.all.of.the.responsibilities.that.teachers.have,.a.com-puter.can.be.a.major.asset.to.classroom.management ..By.using.technology,.you.can.accomplish.almost.every.task.

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that.you.are.expected. to.do ..Tables.6 .1.and.6 .2.display.only. some. of. the. ways. in. which. technology. can. help.teachers ..Table.6 .1.focuses.on.technology.specific.to.your.computer,. while. Table. 6 .2. focuses. on. online. (Internet).applications .

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Table 6.1: Ways to Use Technology in the Classroom

Application Activity or Product

Word.Processor Nameplates.for.students’.desksIntroduction.letters.for.the.students.and.parentsClassroom.rulesDaily.scheduleLesson.plansTests.and.activity.sheetsClass.reportsCommunication.with.parentsLabels.Classroom.newsletters

Spreadsheets Student.task.chartsSeating.chartsLesson.plansGrade.bookGraphs.and.chartsChecklistsFlash.cardsBingo.cardsCollection.of.student.data

Multimedia.Presentations Presentations.of.course.contentTopic.review—game.show.quiz.presentationsPrinted.lecture.handoutsTutorials,.reviews,.or.quizzesOpen.house.presentation.for.parentsStudent.presentations.and.reports

Databases Student.contact.informationBusiness.cardsFlash.cardsLesson.plansClassroom.inventoryClassroom.library.catalog

Other.Software Electronic.grade.book.programsGraphic.organizers.(Inspiration/Kidspiration)Testing.programs

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Table 6.2: Online Applications for the Classroom

Online Applications PurposeRubric.Generators Help.teachers.define.and.categorize.the.specific.

expectations.for.a.project.so.that.there.is.a.standard.evaluation.for.all.students .

Activity.Sheet.and.Test.Generators

Help.teachers.create.activity.sheets.and.tests.from.a.preexisting.database.of.questions.or.concepts.from.which.the.teacher.chooses .

Classroom.Timers Project.an.electronic.timer.onto.the.computer.screen .

Random.Number.Generators Generate.and.display.a.random.number.on.the.computer.screen .

Random.Student.Selectors Generate.and.display.a.random.student.name.on.the.computer.screen .

Class.Notes Allow.teachers.to.post.class.notes.and.assignments.on.the.Internet .

Survey.Generators Store.teacher-.or.student-made.surveys.and.tally.the.responses .

Grade.Books Allow.students,.parents,.and.teachers.to.access.grades.and.classroom.information.over.the.Internet .

The.Internet.also.provides.an.unlimited.number.of.class-room.management.tools ..By.doing.an.Internet.search,.it.is.very.easy. to. locate.online.applications. that.can.help.you.manage.your.daily.classroom.activities .

Technology PeripheralsIn.addition.to.computers,.there.are.many.other.forms.of.technology.that.can.assist.with.classroom.management ..Here.we.focus.on.peripherals ..Peripherals.are.devices.you.can.use.with.a.computer,.such.as.digital.cameras ..Several.are. listed. in. Table. 6 .3 .. Although. there. is. often. a. wide.price. range. depending. on. available. components,. most.can.be.purchased.for.under.$300 .

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The.development.of.digital.technology.has.expand-ed. the. use. of. video,. photography. and. simulations.supporting. active. learning. environments .. These.emerging. technologies. address. multiple. learning.styles.and.active.participation.leading.to.knowledge.construction.and.increased.understanding .. .. .. ..Other.technologies.such.as.videoconferencing.and.virtual.environments. are. leading. to. new. thinking. about.how. students. can. connect. to. experts,. peers,. and.teachers ..(Norman.&.Hayden,.2002,.p ..323)

Even.Physical.Education. teachers.can. join. the. technol-ogy.fun ..“Health.and.physical.education.teachers.can.use.instruments.such.as.pedometers.and.heart.rate.monitors.to.collect.data.on.student.activity.levels.to.generate.and.test.hypotheses.about.exercise.and.health”.(Brabec.et.al .,.2004,.p ..10) .

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Table 6.3: Technology Peripherals

Gadget Purpose

Digital Camera The teacher can take pictures of new students on first day of school and post student pictures and names on a bulletin board in the classroom.The teacher and the students can take pictures of classroom activities and student projects.The teacher can take pictures of various steps in an activity to guide student progress.

Flash Drive or Jump Drive The teacher can use this portable data storage device to store student files and projects.

Label Maker The teacher can label students’ supplies and other classroom items.Video Converter or Data Projector

This device can be used to transmit the computer image onto a television screen or large screen.

Copier, Scanner, Printer These can make copies of student papers when the teacher needs extras.They can scan photos or student work for student portfolios.They can print computer documents.

Electronic Keyboard The students can use this to type their journals, essays, or assignments without having to sit at a computer (e.g., DreamWriter or AlphaSmart).

CD Burner This can store school data files on a CD at the end of the school year. It can also be used to create student portfolios.

Computer Microscope This can transmit images under the microscope onto a computer monitor or television.

Document Camera This camera projects images of paper, books, photographs, or other objects onto the screen. It does not need to use transparencies, like an overhead. You can even use a pointer or finger to point on the image.The teacher can model the writing process and edit students’ papers in whole-class lessons (e.g., Elmo).

Electronic Whiteboard This device allows the teacher to display what is on the computer screen, but also allows the teacher to control the computer from the electronic whiteboard. It encourages more interaction with the material on the screen. The teachers and the students can highlight or underline information (e.g. Smart Boards are commercial versions of electronic whiteboards and are increasingly used in education.).

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The Use of Email and Online Aids for Teacher Professional ActivitiesEmail.is.fast.becoming.a.vital.part.of.communication ..It.can.be.an. integral. system.of.communication. for. teach-ers .. Teachers,. who. spend. most. of. their. workday. apart.from.other.adults,.can.use.email.to.keep.in.touch.with.colleagues,. exchanging. ideas. and. asking. for. support ..Schoolwide.or.district.information.can.be.quickly.spread.through.email.updates ..“In.addition,.teachers.should.be.able. to. communicate. via. email. with. individual. pupils,.a. group. of. pupils,. the. entire. class,. and. with. parents.(both. individually. and. collectively)”. (Zimmerman. &.Goodman,.2001,.para ..7) .. It.might.be.a.good.idea.to.set.up. a. free. individual. email. account. to.use. expressly. for.the.purpose.of.student.and.parent.contact ..This.will.keep.your.personal.email.account.free.of.work-related.matters ..“One.of.the.problems.in.parent-teacher.communication.is. the. unavailability. of. the. teacher. during. most. of. the.school.day ..With.email,.the.parent.can.leave.a.message.and.the.teacher.can.respond.when.not.directly.working.with.pupils.or.on.other.professional.tasks”.(Zimmerman.&.Goodman,.para ..12) ..

Sometimes.schools.have.their.own.websites.for.parents.and.students.to.access ..School.websites.often.have.con-tent.standards.and.district.resources ..Teachers.can.create.classroom.websites.as.well ..There.are.various.companies.that.will.host.school.and. individual. teacher.Web.pages.for.a.fee ..Homework.policies.and.daily.assignments.can.be.posted.by.classroom.(Brabec.et.al .,.2004) ..The.teacher.can.keep.parents. informed.about.content,.and.students.can.check.the.websites.for.homework.updates,.links.to.additional.websites.related.to.the.specific.units.of.study,.and.study.tips .

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Helpful Tips for Using Computers in the Classroom

Classroom Layout of ComputersIn.most.schools,.a.teacher.may.have.one.to.five.comput-ers.in.the.classroom ..The.computers.are.often.placed.in.a.corner.or.against.a.back.wall ..If.at.all.possible,.comput-ers.have.a.better.impact.if.they.are.placed.systematically.around.the.room .

Placing. computers. around. the. classroom. provides. stu-dents.the.opportunity.to.access.them.without.interrupt-ing. instruction .. It. also. gives. students. enough. space. at.each.computer.so.that.they.can.work.in.groups.of.two.or.three.and.not.be.overcrowded ..Another.placement.option.is.to.organize.the.computers.into.center-type.areas ..The.centers.allow.the.students.to.work.on.different.activities.around.the.room.without.distracting.others .

The.placement.of.computers.in.the.classroom.should.also.benefit.the.teacher ..It.is.very.important.to.have.one.com-puter.close.to.the.teacher’s.desk ..This.gives.the.teacher.the.opportunity.to.use.it.during.the.day.for.teaching.and.classroom.management ..If.possible,.it.is.helpful.to.have.the. computers. on. moveable. carts. so. that. they. can. be.moved.around.the.room.easily ..Also,.it.is.a.good.idea.to.make.sure.that.the.teacher.can.see.the.computer.screens.from.several.different.directions ..This.helps.to.keep.the.students.on.task,.because.the.teacher.can.easily.monitor.what.they.are.doing.on.the.computer.(Tousignant,.1996) ..Remember.to.always.check.with.district.or.school.tech-nology.specialists.before.moving.computers ..Sometimes.outlets.and.wall. jacks.require.the.computers.to.remain.in.one.place .

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Scheduling Computer TimeComputer. equity. is. very. important. in. the. educational.environment ..Whether. the. teacher.has.one.or.multiple.computers. in. the. classroom,. all. of. the. students. should.have.equal.access.to.the.computers ..

There.are.several.ways.to.manage.computer.access.in.the.classroom ..One.suggestion.is.to.make.sure.that.students.have.already.determined.what.they.are.going.to.do.before.they.get.on.the.computer ..Nothing.wastes.valuable.com-puter.time.more.than.sitting.at.the.computer.unprepared.to. work. on. the. assigned. project .. If. the. teacher. creates.bookmarks. of. project-related. Internet. links. or. posts.links.as.favorites,.this.can.prevent.students.from.wasting.time.when.accessing.the.Internet.during.class.activities ..Rather. than. searching.endlessly. for. sites. related. to. the.content,.the.student.can.spend.valuable.computer.time.actually. researching. the. content .. Another. option. is. to.limit.student.access.to.the.computers.to.15.to.20.minutes.each.day,.unless.they.are.working.on.a.large.project ..Put.a.timer.next.to.each.computer ..As.students.sit.down.to.use.the.computers,.set.the.timer.so.that.it.notifies.them.when.their.time.is.up ..Another.alternative.is.to.have.a.rotating. schedule. during. the. week .. Create. a. timetable.that.gives.each.student.five.different.specified.times.on.the.computer.during.the.week.(Tousignant,.1996) ..Keep.a.visible.schedule.so.that.students.can.plan.ahead.for.their.specified. time ..Have. them. log. in.and. report.what. they.plan.to.do ..Then.they.can.log.out.and.write.down.what.they.actually.accomplished .

Above.all,. the.best.way. to.ensure. that. students.utilize.precious. computer. scheduled. time. is. to. create. specific.expectations. and. project. directions .. Well-defined. proj-ect.tasks.with.scheduled.computer.time.are.better.than.large,. ill-defined. projects. with. unscheduled. computer.time .

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One-Computer ClassroomWhile.many.educators.would.like.to.have.multiple.com-puters. in. their. classrooms,. there. are. times. when. they.only.have.access.to.one ..It.is.important.to.recognize.that.one. computer. is. better. than. no. computer. at. all .. There.are. plenty. of. activities. that. you. can. do. with. only. one.computer.in.the.classroom ..

A.single.computer.is.a.significant.help.to.you.for.class-room. management. and. administrative. tasks .. You. can.use. the.computer. to. record.grades.and.to.print.student.progress.reports ..A.single.computer.will.help.you.com-municate. with. parents. through. letters,. newsletters,.or. email ..Through. the.use.of. software.programs.or. the.Internet,.you.can.create.lesson.plans.and.generate.activ-ity.sheets,.puzzles,.rubrics,.and.tests .

A. single. classroom. computer. can. also. assist. you. with.instruction ..If.you.have.access.to.one,.you.can.use.a.pro-jector.to.display.what.is.on.the.computer.screen.onto.a.large.screen ..However,.projectors.can.be.very.expensive,.and.your.school.may.not.have.one.that. is.easily.acces-sible ..Instead,.you.can.use.a.video.converter,.which.costs.much.less ..A.video.converter.connects.the.computer.to.a.television.or.VCR ..It.displays.what.is.on.the.teacher’s.computer.monitor. through.the.television. for. the.entire.class. to. see .. For. example,. as. you. search. for. a. topic. on.the. Internet,. the. students. can. see. the. information. and.participate.in.a.class.discussion ..You.can.use.either.video.setup.to.demonstrate.how.to.use.new.software.programs ..Teachers. can. also. use. multimedia. software. to. model.appropriate.use.of.various.strategies.for.students.and.col-leagues.(Brabec.et.al .,.2004) ..Another.example.of.how.to.use.a.single.computer.for.group.instruction.is.to.project.the. agenda,. content. objectives,. or. lesson. objectives. for.that.particular.class.period.onto.the.television.or.screen ..Show.the.students.what.you.expect.them.to.accomplish.during.that.class ..

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A. single. classroom. computer. can. also. be. a. benefit. to.students .. It. can. be. used. as. a. student. learning. center.where. students. can. engage. in. reinforcement. activities,.individual.practice,.or.assessments.on.concepts.studied.in. class ..One.computer. can.also. serve. as. a. cooperative.learning. tool .. It. allows. students. to. work. together. in.small.groups.at.the.computer.(Burkhart,.1998) ..You.can.also. use. software. that. poses. real-life. problems. for. the.entire.class.to.solve.in.cooperative.groups ..An.example.of.such.software.is.Fizz and Martina’s Math Adventures.from. Tom. Snyder. Productions .. Such. software. does. not.require.all.of.the.students.to.sit.at.the.computer ..Use.a.video.converter.or.projector.to.display.the.program.to.the.entire. class. and. then. direct. the. students. to. solve. each.problem.at. their.desks,.on.the.floor,.or.at. tables. in.the.classroom ..

As.you.can.see,.no.matter.how.many.computers.are.in.your. classroom,. computers. and. other. technology. can.help. you. manage. your. classroom,. accomplish. adminis-trative. tasks,. deliver. instruction,. and. enhance. student.learning .

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Chapter Six Reflection. 1 .. How.could.you.use.a.single.computer.(or.a.few.computers).in.your.

classroom?

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. 2 .. Explain.how.you.could.provide.equal.computer.or.technology.access.to.all.of.the.students.in.your.classroom .

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. 3 .. Explain.how.you.could.use.computers.or.other.technology.to.assist.you.with.at.least.five.different.classroom.management.tasks .

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

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Chapter Seven

Computer Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting. computer. problems. can. be. very. frus-trating .. Consider. that. you. are. dealing. with. a. machine.that.has.multiple.components.simultaneously. interact-ing.with.one.another ..It.is.often.very.difficult.to.pinpoint.exactly.which.component.of.a.particular.device.is.creat-ing.the.problem ..Most.teachers.are.not.computer.techni-cians ..However,.because.of.the.influx.of.technology.into.education,.it.has.become.imperative.that.teachers.learn.some.simple.techniques.to.troubleshoot.basic.computer.problems ..Reading.this.chapter.will.help.you.fulfill.the.first.section.of.NETS.for.teachers ..Under.the.category.of.Technology.Operations.and.Concepts,.teachers.should.be.able.to.“demonstrate.introductory.knowledge,.skills,.and.understanding.of.concepts.related.to.technology .. .. ..(and).demonstrate.continual.growth.in.technology.knowledge.and.skills.to.stay.abreast.of.current.and.emerging.tech-nologies”. (ISTE,.2002,.p ..306) .. If. you.can. solve.various.simple.computer.problems.as.they.arise,.you.come.closer.to. meeting. these. standards .. Also,. the. people. working.in. the. district. technology. department. tend. to. be. very.busy ..If.teachers.can.solve.their.own.problems,.student.technology. projects. and. technology-based. learning. can.proceed. much. faster .. Before. you.begin. reading.Chapter.Seven,. check. your. knowledge. to. see. how. much. you.already.know.about.computer.repair .

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_____. 1 .. Input.devices.include.a.mouse,.a.scanner,.a.touch.screen,.and.a.keyboard .

_____. 2 .. Computer.viruses.can.only.be.transmitted.to.your.computer.by.accessing.the.Internet .

_____. 3 .. Malware.and.spyware.are.not.harmful.to.your.computer .

_____. 4 .. Rebooting.the.computer.can.often.fix.a.computer.or.a.software.program.that.has.become.unresponsive .

_____. 5 .. All.beeps.that.the.computer.makes.signal.a.possible.problem .

_____. 6 .. Computer.technicians.are.the.only.individuals.who.should.try.to.fix.a.computer.problem .

_____. 7 .. Antivirus.software.will.remove.all.viruses,.spyware,.and.adware.from.the.computer .

_____. 8 .. As.long.as.you.recognize.the.name.of.the.person.who.sent.you.an.email,.you.can.open.the.email.attachment.without.caution .

_____. 9 .. If.your.computer.is.connected.to.the.school.or.district.network,.you.may.be.limited.in.your.authority.to.troubleshoot.problems.on.your.classroom.computer(s) .

_____. 10 .. If.you.are.having.computer.problems,.your.first.step.should.be.to.check.and.make.sure.that.all.of.the.cables.and.power.cords.are.connected.properly .


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Computer ErrorsA.website.devoted.to.writing.at.Colorado.State.University.notes. that.computers.are. limited.because. they.are.pro-grammed. to.work.as. they.are. told.and. that.most.com-puter. problems. are. not. actually. the. computer’s. fault ..The. website. urges. teachers. in. computer. classrooms. to.learn.about.the.capabilities.of.computers ..Teachers.need.to.practice.using.them,.be.patient,.and.use.them.as.tools.(CSU. Dept .. of. English,. 2006) .. Sometimes,. a. computer.will.alert.you.to.a.problem.by.displaying.a.message.that.indicates.what.is.wrong ..Often,.you.will.be.able.to.inter-pret.the.message.and.fix.the.problem ..At.other.times,.the.language. in. the. message. will. be. too. difficult. to. under-stand ..Consult.a.fellow.teacher.or.a.computer.technician.when. the. computer. error. message. is. unfamiliar. or. too.technical. to. interpret .. The. Microsoft. website. prompts.that.you.may.have.to.do.some.of.your.own.“sleuthing,”.because. each. computer. has. a. unique. combination. of.hardware. and. software. (Microsoft,. 2004) .. Regardless. of.whether.or.not.your.computer.displays.a.message,.there.are.plenty.of.basic.computer.problems.that.any.computer.user. can. solve,. and. this. section. will. describe. some. of.these.basic. troubleshooting.techniques ..The.Macintosh.Apple.website.reminds.us.that,.just.like.cars.and.toast-ers,. computers. need. preventative. maintenance. to. per-form.their.best ..Sometimes.they.can.stop.performing.for.no.apparent. reason,.but. there.are.often.simple.ways. to.take.care.of.seemingly.alarming.issues.(Apple,.2006) .

A Word About NetworksSchool. computers. are. usually. networked. within. the.building.or.within.the.district ..This.means.that.the.docu-ments.or.files.created.or.accessed.on.one.computer.can.be.accessed.on.others.within.the.network ..The.comput-ers.are.connected.through.a.server,.and.individual.users.of.the.network.often.log.on.using.a.network.name.and.password .

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When.dealing.with.computer.errors. through.a.network.system,.it.is.important.to.note.that.the.network.admin-istrator. may. have. limited. the. amount. of. authority. an.individual.user.may.have ..Some.of.the.suggestions.listed.below.may.not.be.applicable.to.your.situation.because.of.network.security ..Nonetheless,.several.of.the.tips.listed.below.should.be.useful.to.you,.and.you.are.encouraged.to. try. them. to. remedy. easily-solved. problems .. Note.however,. if. a. problem. cannot. be. resolved,. you. should.contact.a.computer.technician ..You.can.find.good.online.resources.for.support.through.many.manufacturers.who.have.“frequently. asked.questions”. and.knowledge-base.articles. (e .g .,. Microsoft .com. and. Apple .com) .. Type. in.“troubleshooting”.in.a.search.engine.or.the.search.text-box.on.the.manufacturer.website .

First Things FirstThere.are.several.things.that.you.can.check.to.trouble-shoot. a. computer. problem .. Try. the. suggestions. listed.under.each.problem.below:.

. 1 .. The computer won’t turn on—Make.sure.that.everything.is.plugged.in ..Cables.can.come.loose.if.the.computer.is.moved.or.jostled ..After.checking.the.cables,.if.the.computer.still.does.not.turn.on,.and.you.do.not.hear.any.noises.coming.from.the.system.unit.(i .e .,.the.box.containing.the.electronic.components.of.the.computer),.this.usually.means.that.there.is.a.problem.with.the.power.supply.and.it.probably.needs.to.be.replaced ..

. 2 .. The mouse pointer will not move or you cannot type—Reboot.the.computer ..For.PCs:.use.the.CTRL-ALT-DEL.keys.to.reboot.a.computer.if.it.is.completely.frozen.and.not.responding ..You.will.need.to.hold.the.CTRL.and.the.ALT.keys.at.the.same.time.and.then.tap.the.DEL.(Delete).key ..Release.all.of.the.keys.at.the.same.time ..This.will.force.the.computer.to.reboot ..For.Macs:.select.

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Restart,.if.possible ..Try.pushing.Command-Q.to.start.again ..Sometimes.Command-Option-Escape.will.force.the.computer.to.quit.applications,.along.with.selecting.an.application.in.a.resulting.window.and.clicking.“Force.Quit .”.You.can.also.try.to.press.the.power.button.and.click.Restart.when.the.dialog.window.appears ..A.last.method,.if.nothing.else.works,.is.to.unplug.the.power.source.and.plug.it.in.again ..Make.sure.that.the.computer.is.booting.from.the.hard.drive.and.not.a.floppy.disk ..An.error.will.occur.if.there.is.a.floppy.disk.in.the.disk.drive.and.you.are.trying.to.reboot.the.computer ..If.rebooting.does.not.solve.the.problem,.consult.a.computer.technician .

. 3 .. The software program is stalled (or frozen) or is not responding to your mouse clicks—See.if.you.can.use.your.mouse.in.other.open.programs.or.on.the.desktop ..If.you.can,.then.the.problem.is.with.the.nonresponsive.program ..Try.opening.a.new.window.for.that.program.and.resume.working ..If.this.is.not.feasible,.end.the.nonresponsive.program.by.pressing.the.CTRL-ALT-DEL.keys.(for.PCs) ..The.Windows.Task.Manager.should.appear ..Select.the.program.and.click.the.End.Task.button ..Now.restart.the.program.and.continue.working ..If.problems.keep.occurring,.restart.or.reboot.the.computer ..The.Mac.solutions.for.this.problem.are.the.same.as.when.the.mouse.pointer.will.not.move.(see.number.two.above) .

. 4 .. Can’t connect to the Internet—Check.your.modem.or.network.cable.connections ..You.will.not.be.able.to.access.the.Internet.if.the.cables.are.not.completely.connected .

. 5 .. The computer gives a continuous beep at start up—Check.to.see.if.something.is.lying.on.the.mouse.or.keyboard.and.pressing.down.on.one.or.more.keys .

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Onscreen MessagesAs.stated.above,.the.computer.will.often.display.a.mes-sage.indicating.what.is.wrong ..Here.is.how.to.interpret.these.messages:

. 1 .. Missing Operating System—Somehow.the.computer’s.operating.system.has.become.corrupted ..This.could.have.happened.because.of.a.virus,.a.hard.drive.malfunction,.or.a.computer.user.error ..You.will.need.to.contact.a.computer.technician ..When.using.Macs,.this.type.of.error.is.indicated.in.any.message.containing.“OS .”

. 2 .. Disk Boot Failure—This.error.usually.signifies.that.the.hard.drive.has.either.become.disconnected.from.the.motherboard.or.is.damaged ..You.will.need.to.contact.a.computer.technician ..When.using.Macs,.this.type.of.error.is.apparent.when.the.start.up.screen.continually.freezes.or.if.a.file.folder.with.a.blinking.question.mark.appears .

. 3 .. Keyboard Error or Locked—Your.keyboard.is.not.plugged.in.properly ..Turn.off.the.computer,.remove.the.keyboard.from.your.computer,.and.connect.the.keyboard.properly.to.your.computer ..Check.to.make.sure.that.it.is.in.the.proper.port.on.the.back.of.the.system.unit ..When.using.Macs,.no.error.message.will.appear,.the.keyboard.simply.will.not.work .

. 4 .. Nonsystem Disk or Disk Error—You.have.accidentally.left.a.floppy.disk.in.drive.A ..Remove.the.disk.from.the.drive.and.press.any.key.on.the.keyboard ..The.computer.will.continue.with.the.booting.process ..When.using.Macs,.you.may.get.a.similar.message.if.a.peripheral.device.is.connected.incorrectly ..Detach.any.new.peripherals.and.restart .

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Troubleshooting Input DevicesInput. devices. are. devices. that. are. connected. to. the.computer.and.send.data.into.the.computer ..Examples.of.input.devices.include.keyboards.and.mice ..Even.though.computer.users.rarely.have.problems.with.input.devices,.it.is.important.to.know.how.to.troubleshoot.them.when.they.do.happen,.because.you.cannot.operate.a.computer.without.certain.key.input.devices.such.as.a.mouse.and.keyboard ..Before.you.begin.changing.settings.or.install-ing.and.uninstalling.drivers,.there.are.some.initial.things.that.you.can.do:

. 1 .. Loose connections—Check.to.see.if.the.input.device.is.connected.properly.and.securely ..A.loose.connection.and.a.bump.of.the.computer.can.cause.the.cable.to.disconnect.and.cause.the.device.to.stop.working .

. 2 .. Computer viruses—Check.for.viruses.on.the.computer ..You.will.need.to.run.a.virus.scan.using.antivirus.software .

The Mouse. 1 .. Clean the mouse—If.the.mouse.is.not.working.

properly,.the.problem.could.be.the.accumulation.of.dirt.and.dust.from.everyday.use ..The.ball.on.the.mechanical.mouse.can.be.removed.for.cleaning ..(Note:.optical.mice.do.not.contain.small.rubber.balls .).The.process.consists.of.sliding.or.turning.the.disc.that.holds.the.mouse.ball.inside.the.mouse ..The.mouse.ball.will.drop.out.when.the.mouse.is.turned.right.side.up ..There.are.three.rollers.inside.the.mouse.ball.cavity ..It.is.important.to.remove.all.lint.off.of.the.rollers ..That.will.allow.the.mouse.pointer.to.move.more.freely .

. 2 .. Mouse pointer movement—If.the.computer.mouse.is.not.responding.correctly,.make.sure.that.it.is.

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on.a.flat.surface.and.that.the.mouse.rollers.are.clean ..Another.suggestion.is.to.make.sure.that.the.mouse.is.plugged.correctly.into.the.mouse.port.on.the.back.of.the.computer .

The Keyboard. 1 .. Constant beeping or clicking—Not.every.beep.

signifies.a.problem,.but.if.the.computer.is.constantly.beeping.as.it.starts.up,.there.may.be.a.stuck.key.on.the.keyboard .

. 2 .. Number pad on the keyboard—If.nothing.happens.when.you.press.the.number.keys.on.the.number.pad.(usually.located.on.the.right.side.of.the.keyboard),.press.the.NUM.LOCK.key ..If.a.small.light.(usually.green).is.lit,.the.NUM.LOCK.key.is.activated.and.the.number.keys.on.the.number.pad.will.work .

. 3 .. Sticky keys on the keyboard—When.food.or.beverages.are.spilled.on.the.keyboard,.it.can.cause.keys.to.stick ..You.can.use.compressed.air.made.for.cleaning.keyboards ..Office.supply.stores.sell.this.“canned.air,”.which.contains.a.small.straw.for.spraying.into.keyboard.crevices .

Troubleshooting Output Devices

The Monitor. 1 .. The computer is on but the screen is blank—

Assuming.that.you.have.checked.the.screen.controls.(i .e .,.the.brightness.and.contrast.controls).and.made.sure.that.the.monitor.cable.is.properly.connected.to.the.system.unit,.the.problem.could.be.the.video.card.or.the.monitor ..If.you.have.another.monitor,.substitute.the.faulty.one.with.one.that.is.known.to.be.working ..If.the.new.one.works,.it.means.your.original.monitor.is.dead ..If.

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the.new.monitor.does.not.work,.then.it.means.the.video.card.in.the.system.unit.is.probably.faulty.and.needs.to.be.replaced .

. 2 .. The screen is completely black—If.the.computer.screen.is.completely.black,.there.are.a.couple.possible.solutions:

. •. Check.that.the.monitor.cable.is.connected.to.the.correct.port.on.the.back.of.the.system.unit.and.that.the.power.cord.is.plugged.into.an.electrical.outlet .

. •. Check.the.brightness.setting.of.the.computer ..If.it.is.on.zero.or.on.a.low.brightness.setting,.change.the.setting.to.a.brighter.setting ..

. 3 .. Monitor image is resized—If.the.image.on.the.computer.monitor.does.not.fill.most.of.the.screen,.then.the.vertical.or.horizontal.controls.probably.need.to.be.adjusted ..Use.the.controls.on.the.monitor.to.do.this ..Start.by.finding.the.menu.button ..One.of.the.options.in.the.menu.should.be.horizontal.placement.and.another.should.be.vertical.placement.(usually.by.pressing.the.menu.button.repeatedly,.you.can.access.the.different.options) ..Adjust.the.settings,.as.necessary,.to.size.the.image.properly ..If.you.make.the.necessary.adjustments.and.the.output.does.not.change,.then.the.monitor.needs.to.be.repaired.or.replaced .

The Desktop. 1 .. Working with the computer’s desktop—The.

computer.background.and.icons.on.the.computer.screen.are.known.as.the.computer’s.desktop ..Occasionally,.you.can.alter.the.desktop.without.realizing.it ..If.you.do.not.like.the.look.of.the.desktop,.change.it ..For.PCs,.the.easiest.way.is.to.right-click.anywhere.on.the.desktop.(but.not.on.an.icon).to.bring.up.the.desktop’s.shortcut.

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menu ..To.change.the.position.of.icons,.choose.“Arrange.Icons”.and.select.an.option ..To.change.the.appearance.of.the.desktop,.select.“Properties”.and.make.the.desired.selections ..For.Macs,.go.to.the.APPLE.menu.(),.then.select.“System.Preferences”.to.change.Desktop.features .

. 2 .. Adding desktop icons—Desktop.icons.often.need.to.be.added,.deleted,.or.organized.on.the.computer’s.desktop ..To.modify.desktop.icons.on.a.PC,.right-click.anywhere.on.the.desktop ..To.add.an.icon,.choose.the.“New”.option.and.then.click.the.“Shortcut”.option ..To.complete.the.process,.follow.the.computer’s.instructions ..To.delete.an.icon,.right-click.on.the.icon.and.select.“Delete .”.When.using.a.Mac,.the.process.is.slightly.different ..The.desktop.icon.is.called.an.alias ..To.create.an.alias,.move.the.mouse.pointer.to.the.original.program.or.application.icon ..Simultaneously.hold.down.the.“Option”.and.“Apple”.keys.and.then.drag.the.original.icon.to.the.desktop .

. 3 .. The PC taskbar—The.PC.taskbar.is.usually.located.at.the.bottom.of.the.computer.screen ..It.displays.the.Start.menu.and.quick.launch.bar ..The.various.icons.and.buttons.are.used.to.access.and.execute.programs ..The.taskbar.can.be.hidden.or.moved.to.another.location.on.the.screen ..

. . To.hide.the.taskbar,.move.the.mouse.pointer.to.the.top.edge.of.the.taskbar.until.a.double-headed.arrow.appears ..Press.the.left.button.on.the.mouse.and.drag.the.taskbar.down.to.the.very.bottom.of.the.screen ..To.make.the.taskbar.reappear,.move.the.mouse.pointer.to.the.bottom.of.the.computer.screen ..When.the.double-headed.arrow.appears,.hold.the.left.mouse.button.and.drag.the.task.bar.up.toward.the.middle.of.the.computer.screen ..

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. . It.is.also.possible.to.move.the.taskbar.to.either.side.of.the.screen.or.to.the.top.of.the.computer.screen ..To.relocate.the.taskbar,.move.the.mouse.pointer.onto.an.open.area.of.the.taskbar ..Hold.down.the.left.mouse.button.and.drag.the.taskbar.to.the.preferred.location ..Use.the.same.process.to.move.the.taskbar.back.to.the.bottom.of.the.computer.screen .

. 4 .. The Mac taskbar—The.Mac.taskbar.is.known.as.the.Dock ..It.contains.a.variety.of.applications.that.can.be.accessed.quickly.and.easily ..To.customize.or.relocate.the.Dock,.go.to.the.APPLE.menu.and.choose.the.Dock.option ..You.will.see.a.menu.of.options.to.choose.from ..When.the.dock.is.hidden,.it.is.located.at.the.bottom.of.the.computer.screen ..When.you.move.the.mouse.pointer.to.the.bottom.of.the.screen,.it.appears.for.immediate.access,.without.remaining.on.the.desktop.as.you.work .

The Printer. 1 .. Printer won’t turn on—If.the.power.light.on.the.

printer.won’t.turn.on,.there.are.a.few.possible.solutions:

. •. Make.sure.that.the.power.cord.is.plugged.into.an.electrical.outlet.that.is.working.properly .

. •. Make.sure.that.if.the.printer.is.plugged.into.a.power.strip.that.the.power.strip.is.turned.on .

. •. Make.sure.that.no.error.lights.are.flashing.on.the.printer ..If.an.error.light.is.flashing,.the.printer.will.not.work .

. 2 .. Printer is beeping—If.the.printer.is.beeping,.check.to.see.if.it.is.either.out.of.paper.or.out.of.ink ..If.the.paper.and.ink.supplies.are.okay,.then.there.is.probably.something.wrong.with.the.printer.and.it.may.need.servicing .

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. 3 .. Printer won’t print—If.a.printer.won’t.print,.there.are.a.few.possible.solutions:

. •. Make.sure.that.the.printer.has.enough.paper,.ink,.and.toner .

. •. Make.sure.that.the.printer.cable.is.properly.attached.to.the.computer .

. •. Run.a.“Test.Print .”.Most.printers.have.a.built-in.diagnostic.program.that.will.allow.the.printer.to.print.a.test.page.without.communicating.with.a.computer ..The.instructions.for.running.a.test.print.can.be.found.in.the.printer.owner’s.manual .

. •. Make.sure.that.there.is.no.paper.jamming.the.internal.gears.of.the.printer .

. •. Make.sure.that.the.printer.head.of.the.inkjet.printer.is.clean ..Most.inkjet.printers.have.a.utility.that.will.clean.the.print.head ..

. •. Make.sure.that.the.proper.printer.driver.is.installed.on.your.computer ..It.is.important.that.the.printer.driver.that.is.installed.is.the.correct.driver.for.the.printer.that.is.connected.to.the.computer ..Unless.you.are.familiar.with.printer.drivers,.consult.your.computer.technician.to.install.them .

. •. If.multiple.printers.are.connected.to.the.computer,.make.sure.that.you.are.printing.to.the.correct.printer ..If.you.know.how,.check.to.see.which.printer.is.your.computer’s.default.printer .

When using a Mac also try the following:

. •. Select.Print.Monitor ..Make.sure.that.the.document.has.completely.spooled.to.the.printer .

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. •. Check.in.the.Print.Monitor.to.ensure.that.“Stop.Printing”.or.“Stop.Jobs”.has.not.been.selected ..If.it.has,.select.“Start.Printing”.or.“Start.Jobs .”.

. 4 .. When printing from a networked computer—When.a.computer.is.networked,.the.administrator.may.have.limited.the.control.you.have.over.what.and.where.you.can.print ..If.you.have.exhausted.the.above.suggestions,.you.may.also.want.to.try.the.following:

. •. Check.to.make.sure.that.the.printer.you.are.trying.to.print.to.is.installed.on.the.network ..If.it.is,.try.reselecting.and/or.reinstalling.it.on.your.computer .

. •. Select.and.print.to.a.different.printer ..If.you.are.able.to.print.elsewhere,.the.printer.is.experiencing.difficulty,.not.your.computer .

. •. Log.onto.a.different.computer.on.the.network.and.try.printing.from.it ..If.you.are.able.to.print.now,.this.indicates.a.problem.with.how.your.computer.is.communicating.with.the.printer .

. 5 .. Paper won’t stop coming out of the printer—You.can.put.an.immediate.stop.to.the.paper.by.turning.off.the.printer ..However,.you.should.also.cancel.the.print.job.that.is.causing.the.problem ..For.PCs,.open.the.Printer.and.Faxes.panel.(found.in.the.Start.menu).and.double.click.the.printer.you.are.using ..Select.and.delete.the.print.job.that.is.causing.the.problem ..For.Macs,.choose.“Show.Jobs”.from.the.printer.menu.and.select.“Stop.Job”.to.delete.the.job .

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The Speakers. 1 .. No sound from the speakers—If.you.can’t.hear.any.

sounds.coming.from.the.computer.speakers,.there.are.a.few.possible.solutions:

. •. Make.sure.that.the.power.plug.for.the.speakers.is.plugged.into.a.working.electrical.outlet .

. •. You.will.usually.find.three.ports.located.on.the.sound.card.at.the.back.of.the.computer ..Make.sure.that.the.speakers.are.plugged.into.the.proper.port .

. •. Try.the.speakers.on.another.computer ..If.they.work,.then.the.sound.card.inside.the.computer.is.either.loose.or.needs.to.be.replaced .

. 2 .. When using a Mac—also.try.to.select.System.Preferences.under.the.APPLE.menu ..Check.to.make.sure.that.the.Mute.box.is.not.selected,.that.the.correct.output.device.is.selected,.and.that.the.volume.is.turned.up .

Prevent Common Computer ProblemsFile Management—It. is. very. important. to. keep. track.of.where.you.save.files ..It.is.not.uncommon.to.create.a.file.in.September.and.then.want.to.access.it.later.in.the.school.year,.only.to.discover.that.it.cannot.be.found ..Or,.you.might.receive.an.email.that.has.an.attachment ..You.save.the.file.to.the.hard.drive ..A.few.days.later,.you.try.to. access. the. file. but. are. unable. to. locate. it .. A. simple.way.to.prevent.these.problems.from.occurring.is.to.cre-ate.folders.that.will.store.specific.types.of.files ..Teachers.will.often.create.a.folder.to.hold.just.math.files,.a.differ-ent.folder.to.hold.science.files,.and.another.folder.to.hold.specific.email. attachments ..To.organize.your.files,. you.can. create. folders. on. the. computer’s. desktop. or. inside.other.folders ..

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PC File Management—The.steps.to.create.a.folder.on.a.PC.are.the.following:

. •. Open.“My.Computer”.(from.the.Start.menu.or.desktop).and.determine.where.you.want.the.new.folder.to.be.stored ..

. •. Right.click.any.“empty”.or.blank.space.in.the.active.window.or.on.the.desktop.and.the.shortcut.menu.should.appear .

. •. Left.click.on.“New”.and.on.“Folder” ..The.new.folder.will.appear.in.the.designated.location ..The.text.will.be.highlighted.blue ..You.can.now.change.the.name.of.the.folder .

Mac File Management—Adding. a. folder. to. a. specific.location.on.a.Mac.is.a.very.similar.process .. It. involves.the.following.steps:

. •. Hold.down.the.“Control”.key.and.click.the.mouse.button.on.any.“empty”.or.blank.space.in.an.active.window.or.on.the.desktop .

. •. Click.on.the.“New.Folder”.option.that.appears.in.the.menu .

. •. After.the.new.folder.appears,.type.the.new.folder.name.in.the.space ..Drag.the.folder.to.the.application.in.which.you.want.it .

Data FilesEach. time. a. person. uses. a. software. program. to. cre-ate. a. file,. that. file. can. only. be. opened. by. that. specific.program .. The. file. contains. certain. codes. that. only. the.original.program.can.read.and.understand ..This.can.cre-ate.problems.when.a.person.uses.a.software.program.on.one.computer.that.is.not.available.on.a.second.computer ..When.a.person. tries. to.open. the.data.file,.a. few.things.can.happen ..First,. the.computer.will.display.a.message.that.the.file.cannot.be.opened.or.accessed ..Secondly,.the.

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computer. program. will. display. a. message. that. the. file.cannot.be.converted.to.the.program’s.format ..Lastly,.the.computer.program.will.open.the.file,.but.the.information.is.displayed.as.“hieroglyphics,”.or.a.variety.of.different.characters.that.are.all.over.the.screen .

While.some.data.files.can.never.be.opened.by.other.pro-grams,. there. are. certain. software. applications. that. can.open. a. variety. of. file. formats .. In. addition,. they. allow.the.computer.user.to.specifically.save.the.data.file.in.an.alternative.format ..For.example,.you.can.write.and.save.a.letter.in.Microsoft.Word,.save.it.as.a.data.file,.and.then.later.open.and.edit.it.in.Corel.WordPerfect .

The.most.common.procedure.for.enabling.data.files.to.be.accessed.in.multiple.software.applications.is.saving.the.initial.data.file. in. the. format. that. is.used.by. the.other.software.program ..To.do.this,.select.“Save.As”.from.the.File. menu .. After. entering. the. file. name,. click. on. the.down. arrow. next. to. the. box. that. is. labeled. “Save. File.As. Type .”. The. dropdown. box. will. display. a. list. of. dif-ferent.software.applications.that.should.be.able.to.open.the.file.that.was.just.created ..For.example,.if.you.will.be.opening. a.file. later. in.Microsoft.Works,. then.you.need.to.access.the.“Save.File.As.Type”.box.and.save.your.file.as.a.MS.Works.file ..For.Macs,.select.“Save.As”.from.the.File.menu.as.well,.but.instead.of.choosing.“Save.File.As.Type,”.you.will.change.the.application.under.“Format .”.When.you.click.on.a.specific.application,.a.short.descrip-tion.appears.of.the.application.changes.that.will.occur .

Troubleshooting Viruses, Spyware, and MalwareComputer. viruses. are. known. to. wreak. havoc. on. com-puter.systems ..And,. just. like.with.humans,. in.order. to.get.rid.of.the.virus.you.have.to.know.exactly.what.kind.of. virus. it. is .. Viruses. are. considered. an. abuse. of. infor-

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mation .. These. attacks. have. cost. the. nation. billions. in.security,. maintenance,. and. lost. productivity. (Warlick,.2005) ..When.the.computer.is.infected.with.a.virus,.it.can.lose.information,.perform.erratically,.or.become.useless.to. the. owner .. “These. abuses. have. forced. information.technology.departments.in.our.school.districts.to.tighten.down.their.networks,.sometimes.crippling.our.classroom.technologies. in.terms.of.some.of.the.best.teaching.and.learning.opportunities. that. it.provides”. (Warlick,.2005,.p ..106) .

Table.7 .1.provides.a.list.of.categories.and.definitions.that.describe.different.types.of.computer.viruses .

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Table 7.1: Computer Virus Terminology

Type ExplanationAdware Advertisements that pop-up on your computer screenDialers A program that alters your modem’s setup so that it dials a 1-900 number and can

potentially create a very large phone billEmail virus A virus that attaches itself to email messages in order to move from one computer

to anotherHijackers A program that takes control of your web browser and will direct you to only

certain websitesMalware Another name for malicious software. It is any kind of computer program that is

designed to damage or interrupt a computer system. Examples of malware include viruses, adware, spyware, hijackers, toolbars, and dialers.

Spyware A program that sends information about you and your computer to someone else. It can find and transmit email addresses, passwords, and even credit card information.

Toolbars These attach themselves to Internet Explorer in order to enhance productivity. Examples include Google and Yahoo! toolbars. However, malware toolbars can actually take on the characteristics of adware, spyware, and hijackers.

Trojan horse A computer program that states that it does one thing, yet it does another. For example, the program description states it is a computer game. However, once the program is run, it completely erases the hard drive of all of its data.

Virus A small program that adheres itself to another program or file. Each time the file or program is accessed, the virus runs again, which can clog the computer’s memory or destroy existing hardware or software.

Worm A small program that moves around within a computer network making copies of itself

Protection from Viruses, Spyware, and Malware. 1 .. Antivirus software—Viruses.can.be.transmitted.to.

your.computer.by.accessing.the.Internet,.opening.email.attachments,.and.installing.programs.or.disk.files.with.the.virus.attached ..Therefore,.you.need.to.purchase.an.antivirus.software.program.that.allows.for.frequent.updates ..Norton.AntiVirus.and.McAfee.VirusScan.are.two.of.the.most.popular ..There.are.free.antivirus.programs.available.on.the.Internet.as.well ..However,.do.your.research—if.you.are.going.to.use.a.free.program,.you.will.

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want.to.make.sure.that.it.will.do.the.job!.Most.antivirus.software.programs.will.not.remove.spyware.and.adware.from.your.computer .

. 2 .. Antispyware and Antiadware software—These.programs.will.search.your.computer.for.any.existing.spyware.and.work.to.eliminate.it.from.your.computer ..There.are.many.free.antispyware.and.antiadware.programs.available.on.the.Internet ..Most.of.them.are.free.to.the.home.user,.but.charge.a.fee.to.businesses.and.educational.institutions .

. 3 .. Update Often!—It.is.very.important.to.update.antivirus,.spyware,.and.adware.software.on.a.regular.basis ..It.is.actually.suggested.on.a.weekly.basis ..Some.products.can.be.set.up.to.update.whenever.you.log.onto.the.Internet .

. 4 .. Scan Often!—Once.you.have.updated.your.antivirus,.spyware,.and.adware.software,.it.is.important.to.use.the.updated.programs.to.scan.your.hard.drive ..After.each.program.scans.your.hard.drive,.you.will.want.to.eliminate.the.infected.files.or.programs,.which.will.differ.with.each.“anti”.program .

. 5 .. Be cautious about attachments—Unless.you.are.expecting.an.email.attachment.from.a.particular.person,.you.should.probably.delete.any.emails.that.come.with.attachments ..You.should.never.open.or.run.any.unsolicited.email.attachments!.Some.viruses.can.even.attach.to.an.email.address.book.and.be.sent.out,.so.you.need.to.be.cautious.even.with.emails.from.people.you.know .

. 6 .. Backup—It.is.important.to.back.up.any.important.information.that.you.are.saving.on.your.hard.drive ..You.can.use.floppy.disks,.CDs,.or.jump.drives,.depending.on.the.size.of.the.file.or.files ..A.backup.of.your.files.will.give.you.a.second.copy.in.case.something.happens.to.the.original.files .

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What Should the Teacher Do?—ProblemsBelow.are.some.real-life.technology.problems.that.teach-ers. face. in. educational. settings .. Try. your. best. to. solve.each. teacher’s. problem. and. then. refer. to. page. 176. for.possible.solutions ..

. 1 .. A.third-grade.teacher,.Mrs ..Donner,.decides.to.rearrange.her.classroom ..She.has.just.finished.moving.her.computer.to.the.other.side.of.the.room ..She.has.reconnected.all.of.the.cables,.but.she.is.getting.error.messages.that.the.keyboard.and.mouse.will.not.work ..What.is.the.most.likely.cause.of.Mrs ..Donner’s.problem?.

. . ._______________________________________________

. . ._______________________________________________

. . What.suggestions.would.you.make.to.fix.the.problem?

. . ._______________________________________________

. . ._______________________________________________

. 2 .. Mr ..Willis,.a.seventh-grade.teacher,.is.having.problems.with.his.mouse ..As.he.tries.to.move.the.mouse.across.the.screen,.it.is.jumping.erratically ..What.is.most.likely.the.cause.of.Mr ..Willis’.problem?

. . ._______________________________________________

. . ._______________________________________________


. . ._______________________________________________

. . ._______________________________________________

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. 3 .. A.high.school.science.teacher,.Mrs ..Bronsing,.is.at.school.and.is.trying.to.open.a.word.processing.file.that.she.created.at.home ..However,.she.cannot.get.the.file.to.open ..The.computer.keeps.asking.her.which.program.she.wants.to.use.to.open.the.file ..Each.time.she.selects.a.program,.she.gets.“hieroglyphics”.on.the.computer.screen ..What.is.most.likely.the.cause.of.Mrs ..Bronsing’s.problem?

. . ._______________________________________________

. . ._______________________________________________


. . ._______________________________________________

. . ._______________________________________________

. 4 .. Mrs ..Nykos,.an.elementary.special.education.teacher,.allowed.some.of.her.students.to.use.her.computer ..At.lunch,.she.wanted.to.check.her.email ..However,.the.taskbar.at.the.bottom.of.her.screen.had.disappeared ..What.is.most.likely.the.cause.of.Mrs ..Nykos’.problem?

. . ._______________________________________________

. . ._______________________________________________


. . ._______________________________________________

. . ._______________________________________________

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What Should the Teacher Do?—Solutions

Problem 1:Cause:.The.mouse.and.keyboard.cables.are.in.the.wrong.ports.on.the.back.of.the.computer.system.unit .

Suggestions:.Mrs ..Donner.should.look.at.the.small.pic-tures.next.to.the.ports.on.the.back.of. the.system.unit ..There.is.a.specific.port.for.the.mouse.and.another.one.for.the.keyboard .

Problem 2:Cause:.The.rollers.in.the.mouse.ball.cavity.are.probably.full.of.lint .

Suggestions:.Mr ..Willis.needs.to.clean.the.lint.off.of.the.rollers.using.a.fingernail.or.small.brush .

Problem 3:Cause:.The.file.was.probably.created.in.a.program.that.Mrs ..Bronsing.does.not.have.on.her.school.computer .

Suggestions:.Mrs ..Bronsing.will.need.to.locate.a.school.computer.that.has.the.original.program ..She.could.also.open.the.file.on.her.home.computer.and.then.save. the.document.in.a.format.that.is.compatible.with.the.com-puter.programs.at.her.school .

Problem 4:Cause:.The.taskbar.has.been.made.smaller.or.has.been.hidden ..

Suggestions:.Mrs ..Nykos.should.move.her.mouse.around.the.edges.of.her.computer.screen .. If. the.mouse.pointer.turns. into. a. double-headed. arrow,. she. should. hold. the.left.button.on.the.mouse.and.drag.the.mouse.to.enlarge.

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the.taskbar ..Another.option.is.to.move.the.mouse.pointer.around.the.screen.to.see.if.the.taskbar.appears.and.then.disappears. again .. If. this. happens,. Mrs .. Nykos. should.right-click.on.the.taskbar.and.uncheck.the.box.that.sets.the.taskbar.to.be.hidden .

As.you.have.learned.in.this.chapter,.there.are.many.steps.that. you. can. take. to. troubleshoot. computer. problems ..The. problems. are. inevitable—your. computer. will. not.always. work. the. way. you. would. like. it. to .. However,.with. just.a. few.minutes.of. investigative.work,.you.can.solve.many.problems.and.quickly.return.to. the.task.at.hand .

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Chapter Seven Reflection. 1 .. How.would.you.explain.the.importance.of.scanning.your.computer.for.

viruses.and.spyware.to.your.students.and.to.your.peers?.

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. 2 .. Why.do.you.think.that.basic.knowledge.of.computers.and.computer.repair.are.a.part.of.the.ISTE.NETS.for.teachers?

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. 3 .. Why.do.you.think.that.basic.knowledge.of.computers.and.computer.repair.are.a.part.of.the.ISTE.NETS.for.students?

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. 4 .. What.are.ways.that.you.could.share.this.information.with.other.teachers.at.your.school.who.are.frustrated.with.the.problems.with.their.classroom.computers?

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

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Chapter Eight

Professional Development

Teachers. need. information,. training,. and. guidance. to.guarantee. that. technology. is. benefiting. student. learn-ing .. Therefore,. the. goal. for. any. effective. technology.professional.development.program.should.be.to.provide.teachers.with.the.opportunity.to.use.the.technology.and.to.become.familiar.with.ways.in.which.to.integrate.tech-nology.into.their.classrooms .

There. are. several. different. components. that. can. either.make. or. break. any. professional. development. activity ..When.asked,.most.teachers.will.explain.that.a.successful.training.session.should.easily.relate.to.what.the.teacher.is. currently.doing. in.his/her. classroom,. should.fit. into.the.teacher’s.schedule,.should.match.the.teacher’s.learn-ing.style,.and.that.the.outcomes.of.the.training.should.be.focused.on.the.curriculum ..The.most.difficult.component.

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is. finding. time. in. teachers’. schedules. for. a. workshop ..Teachers.are.with.students.for.at.least.six.hours.each.day.during. the. week .. When. not. in. the. classroom,. teachers.are.busy.planning.lessons,.contacting.parents,.assessing.students,. and. providing. accommodations. for. children.with.special.needs,.among.other.tasks ..Therefore,.teach-ers.often.feel.that.there.is.not.a.lot.of.extra.time.to.par-ticipate.in.professional.development.activities .

This. chapter. addresses. that. squeeze. on. teachers’. time.by. highlighting. a. variety. of. professional. development.opportunities.that.might.fit.into.your.schedule ..Some.of.the.resources.that.will.be.discussed.include.networking.with.other.educators,.participating.in.professional.orga-nizations,. reading. professional. magazines,. and. learning.through.online.environments .

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_____. 1 .. The.sole.purpose.of.professional.development.related.to.technology.is.to.introduce.the.teacher.to.new.forms.of.technology .

_____. 2 .. It.is.okay.to.ask.a.fellow.teacher.or.a.student.how.to.complete.a.task.using.technology .

_____. 3 .. Professional.organizations.allow.teachers.to.share.their.ideas.with.other.educators .

_____. 4 .. Several.magazine.companies.also.have.interactive.websites.that.provide.additional.information.to.educators .

_____. 5 .. It.is.important.for.educators.to.stay.current.with.technology-related.issues.by.reading.professional.journals.and.magazines .

_____. 6 .. According.to.the.International.Society.of.Technology.Educators.(ISTE).website,.there.is.a.professional.organization.for.teachers.that.focuses.on.technology.in.almost.every.state.in.the.United.States.and.in.several.other.countries .

_____. 7 .. Even.though.most.professional.publications.have.a.subscription.fee,.teachers.can.access.the.coordinating.website.to.read.about.issues.relating.to.technology.in.education .

_____. 8 .. Participating.in.online.tutorials.is.a.difficult.and.time-consuming.process .

_____. 9 .. Knowing.your.learning.style.before.you.invest.in.professional.development.is.not.important .

_____. 10 .. It.is.possible.to.locate.quality.professional.development.opportunities.that.are.free.of.charge .

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Professional Development OpportunitiesThe. ultimate. value. of. professional. development. for.teachers.is.the.essential.role.that.it.plays.in.the.improve-ment. of. student. learning .. While. continued. training. is.important. for. all. areas. of. teaching. and. learning,. it. is.especially.important.in.the.area.of.technology ..Teachers.not.only.have.to.develop.new.technology.skills,.but.they.must.also.learn.how.to.integrate.them.into.the.curricu-lum ..Teachers.realize.that.they.cannot.effectively.use.or.teach.technology.without.the.proper.skills ..

The. first. step. of. any. sound. professional. develop-ment.program.is.to.develop.a.belief.about.technol-ogy.professional.development.that.includes.the.idea.that. the. curriculum. drives. the. use. of. technology,.not. vice-versa,. and. that. empowered. teachers. will.find. appropriate. ways. to. include. technology. with.their.ongoing.instruction.rather.than.view.it.as.an.activity.unconnected.to.the.district’s.content.stan-dards ..(Barnett,.2003,.p ..2)

It. would. be. ideal. if. school. districts. regularly. provided.or.paid. for. technology.professional.development.oppor-tunities. for. all. of. their. teachers .. Sometimes,. teachers.in.a.school.site.will.decide.to.form.a.professional.devel-opment. plan. together .. According. to. Harvey. Barnett’s.research,. in. order. for. technology. professional. develop-ment.to.work.well.for.teachers,.principals.must.support.the.plan,.teachers.should.be.grouped.by.grade.level.and.subject,.and.there.must.be.time.for.hands-on.activities ..What. does. not. work. is. top-down. assertions. without.teacher.input,.lack.of.involvement.from.principals,.little.planning,. one-hour. workshops. without. follow-up,. and.a.focus.on.software.instead.of.using.technology.for.cur-riculum.(Barnett,.2003) ..

However,.the.school.plan.may.not.be.realistic ..Therefore,.it.is.up.to.you.to.find.your.own.technology-focused.pro-

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fessional.development ..Before.you.determine.what.form.of.professional.development.you.want. to. attempt,. it. is.beneficial.to.examine.your.learning.style ..Do.you.want.to. be. able. to. ask. questions?. Do. you. prefer. to. work. at.a. self-directed. pace?. Do. you. like. to. read. about. a. new.product.or.concept.and.then.investigate.further.on.your.own?.After.you.have.decided.what.form.of.training.you.would. like.to.participate. in,. it. is.a.good.idea.to.review.the.advantages.and.disadvantages.of.each.one ..This.way,.you.will.feel.comfortable.taking.part.in.the.training .

You.might.also.want.to.consider.your.expertise.and.com-fort.with.computers ..Researchers.Mandinach.and.Cline.identified.fours.stages.of.teachers.learning.about.technol-ogy ..A. teacher. at. the. survival stage. resists. technology,.has. unrealistic. expectations,. and. only. uses. technology.minimally. in. the. classroom .. A. teacher. at. the. mastery stage. has. increased. tolerance. and. begins. to. use. new.ways. to. integrate. technology. with. student. interaction ..These.teachers.troubleshoot.simple.computer.problems ..A.teacher.in.the.impact stage.regularly.uses.technology.in. the. classroom,. balancing. instruction. with. student.activity. in. technology-based. projects .. A. teacher. in. the.innovation stage. adapts. the. classroom. environment. to.fully. incorporate. technology-enhanced. curriculum. and.learning.activities. (Mandinach.&.Cline,.1992) ..The.fol-lowing.paragraphs.describe.different.types.of.professional.development. and. the. advantages. and. disadvantages. of.each.one .

Face-to-Face LearningThe.most.basic. form.of.professional.development. is. to.ask. a. friend,. a. fellow. teacher,. a. technology. leader,. or.even.a.student.how.to.accomplish.a.specific.technology-related.task ..Assuming.that.the.person.you.ask.has.had.prior.experience.using.the.specific.hardware.or.software,.this.type.of.situation.becomes.a.one-on-one.tutoring.ses-

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sion ..It.allows.you.to.ask.all.kinds.of.questions.without.feeling. illiterate .. Quite. often,. without. the. opportunity.of. one-on-one. learning,. teachers. shy. away. from. using.technology.in.their.classrooms .

Another.advantage.to.the.peer-tutoring.scenario. is. that.the. person. who. is. labeled. the. “expert”. gains. interper-sonal.skills ..This.person.learns.to.become.a.good.listener.and.communicator.and.learns.how.to.provide.meaning-ful.support.to.those.seeking.new.skills ..This.person.also.gets. the. opportunity. to. improve. and. reflect. upon. per-sonal.technology.skills ..As.the.“expert”.works.with.the.teacher,. he/she. has. to. remember. previous. experiences.and.situations.with.the.technology ..By.articulating.cer-tain.steps.or.a.process,.the.expert.validates.his/her.own.knowledge.and.skill.level .

There. are. some. disadvantages. to. face-to-face. training ..“Teachers. are. tired. at. the. end. of. the. day,. and. intense.concentration. can. be. difficult .. The. system. works. best.to.raise.awareness,.introduce.concepts,.or.to.learn.about.easy-to-use.applications”.(Barnett,.2003,.p ..4) ..In.one-on-one.situations,.participants.miss.out.on.hearing.others’.questions ..They.also.miss.out.on.receiving.the.input.of.others ..However,. in.small.or. large. training.groups,.par-ticipants.have.to.share.the.instructor.with.others,.have.to.work.at. the.group’s.pace,. and. the. training.has. to.be.scheduled.at.a.time.convenient.for.everyone .

Professional OrganizationsOne.of.the.most.renowned.technology-related.profession-al. education. organizations. is. the. International. Society.for.Technology.in.Education.(ISTE) ..Over.the.years,.it.has.become.a.driving.force.for.the.integration.of.technology.into.education ..ISTE.has.affiliates.for.almost.every.state.in.the.United.States,.as.well.as.for.a.number.of.different.countries .. To. locate. the. closest. affiliate,. contact. ISTE.through.one.of.its.publications.or.its.website ..

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There. are. several. advantages. to. joining. a. professional.technology. education. organization .. First. of. all,. you.have.the.opportunity.to.network.with.others.who.have.the.same. interests,. concerns,.or.questions. that.you.do ..Secondly,.professional.organizations.usually.offer.a.num-ber.of.membership.benefits ..Most.organizations.have.a.professional. publication. that. is. mailed. to. members. on.a. regular. basis .. They. also. often. provide. an. electronic.newsletter.that. is.distributed.on.a.more.frequent.basis ..Thirdly,.by. joining.a.professional.organization,.you.can.receive.discounts.on.merchandise.or.on.memberships.to.affiliate.organizations ..Lastly,.most.professional.organi-zations. hold. annual. conferences .. For. a. reasonable. fee,.you.can.participate.in.a.one-day.or.multiple-day.confer-ence ..A.conference.gives.you.the.opportunity.to.interact.with.other.educators.from.all.over.the.city,.state,.or.even.country .. By. participating. in. the. different. events. at. the.conference,.you.gain.new.ideas.and.new.skills.to.bring.to.your.classroom.in.order.to.improve.student.learning .

However,. there.can.be.disadvantages. to. relying.on.pro-fessional. organizations. for. professional. development ..The.membership.fees.can.be.expensive ..You.will.need.to.travel.to.the.organization’s.meetings,.trainings,.and.con-ferences ..Also,.the.meetings.or.trainings.are.not.always.scheduled.at.a.time.that.is.convenient.for.everyone .

Professional PublicationsSince.technology.is.forever.changing,.it.is.nearly.impos-sible. to. stay. abreast. of. all. of. the. new. and. innovative.ideas.that.are.being. implemented ..Therefore,.you.must.find.a.way. to.gain.additional.knowledge.about.what. is.happening.in.the.area.of.educational.technology ..One.of.the.easiest.forms.of.professional.development.is.to.read.professional.magazines.or.ezines ..There.are.several.titles.that.focus.specifically.on.education ..Table.8 .1.shows.just.a. few.of.the.professional.technology.publications.avail-able.for.educators .

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With.everything. that.educators.are. required. to.do.on.a.daily.basis,.it.is.often.difficult.to.find.time.to.read.profes-sional.journals.or.magazines ..There.are,.however,.several.strategies. for. reading. professional. magazines. more. effi-ciently ..First,.glance.at.the.table.of.contents.and.place.a.sticky.note.on.the.articles.that.you.want.to.read.at.a.later.time ..Next,.make.time.to. read.by.allowing.yourself.30.minutes.a.day.to.read.your.professional.journals.or.maga-zines ..You.will.be.able.to.skim.through.a.lot.of.informa-tion.by.doing.so ..Lastly,.after.you.have.looked.through.a.publication,.rip.out.any.articles.that.you.want.to.refer-

Table 8.1: Professional Technology Publications

Magazine Description URL

Technology & Learning

A free magazine that has information about technology for educators, administrators, and technology leaders

http://www.techlearning.com

T.H.E. Journal A free publication that focuses on providing information to educators about educational technology

http://www.thejournal.com

Educause A nonprofit organization that provides information about technology-related professional development opportunities

http://www.educause.edu

Converge An online magazine (ezine) that provides information to educators about grants, new products, and innovative ideas that incorporate technology

http://www.convergemag.com

eLearn An ezine that provides information to teachers, administrators, and managers who are interested in offering online education opportunities

http://www.elearnmag.org

eSchool News Provides information in both print and online to educators who are interested in educational technology issues that include legislation, court cases, new products, and grant opportunities

http://www.eschoolnews.com

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ence.at.a.later.date.or.photocopy.articles.from.magazines.available. at. university. libraries .. Place. the. articles. in. a.file.folder.or.in.an.organized.three-ring.binder.for.future.reference .. This. way,. you. do. not. hold. on. to. magazines.that.you.will.never.look.at.again.or.return.to.the.library.to.reference.them.again ..Also,.when.you.find.an.article.on.the. Internet. that.you.want.to.read,.print. the.article.and.then.read.it.later ..Again,.place.it.in.the.file.folder.or.three-ring. binder. that. you. have. started. for. technology-related.information ..

There. are. a. few. disadvantages. to. professional. publica-tions ..They.do.not.provide.interaction.with.others ..You.must. seek. out. a. fellow. educator. in. order. to. discuss. a.particular.article ..One.way.to.stimulate.conversations.on.professional.publications.with.others.is.to.provide.your.principal.with.recommended.readings.that.the.entire.staff.reads.and.discusses.during.professional.or.staff.meetings ..Often,.a.professional.publication.covers.a.topic.that.hap-pens.to.be.related.to.an.issue.with.which.your.school.is.dealing .. Also,. encourage. your. principal. to. subscribe. to.some.of.the.major.educational.publications.so.that.fees.do.not.deter.teachers. from.buying.the.publications.and.keeping.up.with.current.educational.research .

Online ResourcesWith. the. schedules. that.educators.keep,. it. is.often.dif-ficult. to. attend. after-school. or. Saturday. workshops. for.professional. development .. Therefore,. the. Internet. is. a.terrific.place. to. turn. for. technology-focused.profession-al. development .. Teachers. receive. “anytime,. anywhere.learning”. where. they. can. pick. the. time. and. location.convenient. to. them. for. their. professional. development.(Barnett,.2003) .

First,. there. are. two. main. modes. of. online. professional.development—synchronous. and. asynchronous. courses ..Synchronous. courses. are. conducted. in. real. time. with.

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the.students.and. teacher.connected.via. the. Internet.by.videoconferencing. or. online. written. discussions. (akin.to. a. chat. room) .. Asynchronous. courses. do. not. require.the.students.and.teacher.to.be.online.at.the.same.time ..Students. access. learning. materials. online. and. can. post.questions. or. responses. to. a. discussion. board. on. their.own.time ..

The. online. professional. development. format. has. mul-tiple. advantages .. First. of. all,. it. saves. time .. You. do. not.have.to.drive.to.a.workshop.or.class ..For.asynchronous.courses,.you.can.work.on.an.online.course.at.your.con-venience,. maybe. after. school. or. at. home. late. in. the.evening ..Another.advantage.to.online.courses.is.that.the.information.is.up-to-date ..As.new.hardware.and.software.become.available.to.educators,. the.correlating.informa-tion,.or.tutorials,.can.easily.be.added.to.the.Internet.for.immediate. access.by.all. those.who.are. interested ..One.additional.advantage.is.that.there.is.an.unlimited.supply.of. professional. development. opportunities. available. on.the. Internet ..For.example,. if.you.want. to. learn.how.to.use. Microsoft. Word,. you. can. perform. a. Google. search.and.choose.from.multiple.links ..If,.for.some.reason,.your.first.choice.does.not.offer. the.desired. information,.you.can. very. easily. select. different. tutorials. until. you. find.one.that.suits.your.interest .

However,.when.using.online.professional.development,.there.are.some.disadvantages ..Online.courses.often.allow.you. to. complete. the. work. at. your. own. pace,. but. this.means. you. must. be. disciplined. and. commit. yourself.to.completing.the.coursework .. In.addition,. it.may.take.several.attempts.to.find.an.online.training.session.that.meets.your.needs ..The.description.or.the.content.of.cer-tain.courses.may.not.be.what.you.are.actually. looking.for .

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Where Should You Start?Because. there. are. a. multitude. of. professional. develop-ment.opportunities.available.to.you,.it.is.often.difficult.to.determine.what.you.should.learn.first ..Since.you.can.participate.in.online.tutorials.on. just.about.every.tech-nology.topic.available,. it. is. important. for.you.to.deter-mine.what.project.or.task.is.the.most.important.for.you.to.accomplish ..Do.you.need.to.create.a.classroom.news-letter.by.Friday?.Are.you.trying.to.set.up.a.spreadsheet.to.monitor.classroom.expenses?.Regardless.of.the.task,.the.real.question.is,.“Where.should.I.start?”

No.matter.which.type.of.professional.development.you.choose,. you. will. most. likely. find. that. the. information.you.gain. is.useful ..Utilization.of.professional. resources.is.dependent.largely.upon.you,.your.individual.needs.and.learning. styles,. your. time,. and. your. availability .. Table.8 .2.on.page.190.summarizes.the.methods.covered.within.this. chapter,. as. well. as. each. method’s. advantages. and.disadvantages .

The. main. point. of. this. chapter. is. to. not. wait. for. your.school. or. district. to. schedule. technology. integration.training.for.you ..While.formal.training.is.most.often.very.worthwhile,.it.is.up.to.you.to.get.the.training.you.need.to.be.a.successful.user.and.teacher.of.technology ..As.you.can.see.from.the.options.outlined.in.this.chapter,.there.are.many.ways.to.expand.your.knowledge.and.skills.in.technology.integration .

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Table 8.2: Professional Development Strategy Summaries

Method Advantages DisadvantagesFace-to-Face and One-on-One Training

• Participant gets individual instruction • Participant is able to ask questions of instructor • Participant works at his/her own pace • Training can be scheduled at a time convenient

for participant and instructor

• Participant misses out on others’ questions and input

Face-to-Face Training in a Small or Large Group

• Participant hears the questions of other participants

• Participant is able to ask questions of the instructor

• Participant can get the input of others

• Participant shares the instructor with other participants

• Participant works at a group pace • Training must be scheduled at a time

convenient for the majority attending the training

Professional Organizations

• Participant can share ideas and concerns with individuals who have similar interests

• Participant receives member benefits • Participant has option to attend conference(s)

affiliated with organization

• Participants are usually charged membership fees

• Meetings/trainings are usually scheduled at central locations

• Meetings or trainings are not always scheduled at a time convenient for everyone

Professional Publications or Journals

• Several publications or journals are available free of charge

• Publications can be read at a person’s leisure • Articles can be removed from the publication

and stored for later use • Subscriptions to publications can be ordered or

stopped based on the person’s current interests

• Provide no interaction with others • Several publications or journals cost

money • Publications can be misplaced or

never read • Ordered publications may not provide

the information that a person is looking for

Online Training: Tutorials

• Training is self-directed • Training is self-paced • Participant can work on tutorial at any time and

at any location • Many Internet tutorials are free of charge

• Participant has to be disciplined about completing the work

• May have to read many course descriptions before finding what is needed

Online Training: Web-based Instruction

• Training can be self-directed • Training can be self-paced • Participant can work on assignments/training at

any time and at any location • Participant can hold asynchronous and

synchronous discussions with other participants

• Participant can ask questions of the instructor

• Participant is usually charged a training fee or course fee

• May have to read many course descriptions before finding what is needed

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Chapter Eight Reflection. 1 .. After.reflecting.on.your.learning.style,.explain.which.form.of.

professional.development.would.best.meet.your.needs .

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. 2 .. What.major.differences.exist.between.the.various.forms.of.professional.development.opportunities?

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. 3 .. What.do.you.see.as.possible.advantages.of.having.so.many.different.forms.of.professional.development?

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. 4 .. In.the.Brandywine.School.District,.there.are.176.teachers ..The.staff.has.been.told.that.they.must.participate.in.some.form.of.technology-based.professional.development.within.the.next.60.days ..How.would.you.go.about.making.suggestions.to.the.teachers.regarding.the.type.of.professional.development.in.which.they.could.participate?

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

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Chapter Nine

Obtain Funding for Technology

Integration

Do.you.have.a.lesson.idea.or.project.that.involves.tech-nology,.but.you.need.extra.money.to.bring.it.to.fruition?.Lack.of.school.or.district.funds.for.educational.projects.is.an.ongoing.stumbling.block.to.teachers.with.exciting.ideas ..According.to.a.National.School.Boards.Association.(NSBA).survey.reported.in.2005,.funding.for.technology.and. incorporating. technology. into. the. classroom. are.among.the. leading.challenges.that.school.districts.con-front.in.the.area.of.technology ..Therefore,.teachers.must.be. creative. when. seeking. funds. for. technology-related.projects ..However,.if.you.take.your.time,.search.on.the.Internet,. look. through. professional. journals. and. maga-zines,.and.contact.local.businesses.and.foundations,.you.

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will.most.likely.find.a.way.to.fund.your.project ..“Having.a. well-conceived. and. descriptive. technology. plan. is.a. critical. factor. for. success. when. seeking. technology.funding”.(Sun,.Heath,.Byrom,.Phlegar,.&.Dimock,.2000,..p ..215) ..

The.focus.of.Chapter.Nine.is.to.explain.the.grant.writ-ing.process ..This.includes.how.to.prepare.for.a.grant.by.collecting.relevant.data,.where.to.find.money.to.support.a. project,. how. to. effectively. write. the. standard. eight.components.of.the.actual.grant,.and.the.important.things.that. teachers. need. to. remember. as. they. work. through.and.complete.the.grant.writing.process .

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Obtain Funding for Technology Integration


_____. 1 .. Grant.administrators.are.interested.in.funding.projects,.not.materials.and.equipment .

_____. 2 .. Including.a.project.goal.and.multiple.objectives.in.a.grant.application.is.optional .

_____. 3 .. The.method.explains.the.project.sequence.from.start.to.finish .

_____. 4 .. There.should.always.be.a.direct.correlation.between.the.project.evaluation.and.the.project.goals.and.objectives .

_____. 5 .. The.introduction.is.where.you.have.the.opportunity.to.describe.your.classroom,.school,.students,.and.community .

_____. 6 .. Statistics.about.the.school,.students,.or.classroom.are.included.in.the.section.with.the.project.goals.and.objectives .

_____. 7 .. The.components.or.criteria.that.are.listed.in.the.grant.application.are.only.suggestions ..

_____. 8 .. If.the.grant.proposal.is.rejected,.it.is.always.a.good.idea.to.ask.the.organization.for.a.copy.of.the.comments.related.to.their.decision .

_____. 9 .. A.grant.application.has.a.better.chance.of.being.accepted.if.it.is.shown.that.it.can.be.replicated.in.other.situations.or.areas .

_____. 10 .. Grant.proposals.can.stem.from.existing.ideas.to.which.a.new.twist.or.different.component.has.been.added .

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What Is a Grant?It.is.expensive.to.increase.the.amount.of.technology.and.technology.education.in.a.classroom,.school.building,.or.school.district ..Since.many.schools.have. tight.budgets,.the. question. becomes:. Where. are. teachers. or. school.administrators.to.find.the.money.to.fund.additional.tech-nology-focused.programs?.The.answer:.grants .

So. what. exactly. is. a. grant?. It. is. an. award. of. a. specific.amount. of. money. to. an. individual. or. organization. to.finance.a.particular.activity ..It.helps.with.specific.costs.involved. in. the. implementation. or. continuation. of. a.project ..

Grant. applications. take. planning. and. commitment ..However,. the. potential. payoff. is. that. the. grant. money.can.help.teachers.or.administrators.provide.outstanding.educational.opportunities.for.students .

Getting StartedTo.get.the.grant.process.started,.come.up.with.an.idea.for.the.grant.proposal ..While.preparing. the.documentation.can.be.time-consuming,.the.more.planning.and.prepara-tion.you.do,.the.more.successful.you.will.be.in.acquiring.the. funding,. especially. if. you.already.have.a.well-orga-nized.technology.plan.(Sun.et.al .,.2000) ..It.is.important.to. expand. your. proposal. beyond. acquiring. technology;.grant. funders. want. to. support. projects. that. focus. on.improving. student. learning. or. on. research-based. solu-tions ..Even. if. the.goal. is.professional.development,. the.eventual.end.needs.to.demonstrate.that.it.will.affect.stu-dent.success.(Rivero,.2004) ..Brainstorm.with.individuals.who.will.benefit.from.the.project.to.generate.ideas.for.a.potentially.better.grant.project ..

However,.it.is.not.enough.to.have.a.good.idea ..Good.plan-ning.is.essential.to.the.proposal’s.success ..In.addition.to.

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brainstorming,. research.the. feasibility.of. the.project ..A.few.questions.to.ask.during.this.process.are:.

. •. What.do.you.want.to.do,.how.much.will.it.cost,.and.how.much.time.will.it.take?.

. •. What.difference.will.the.project.make.for.students.or.the.learning.process?

. •. What.has.already.been.done.in.the.area.of.your.project?.By.whom?.What.were.the.results?.

. •. How.does.the.project.fit.within.the.curriculum?.

. •. Is.the.project.focused.on.one.classroom,.or.can.it.be.replicated.throughout.the.entire.school.or.in.other.schools?.

. •. How.will.you.accomplish.your.project?.What.is.your.plan.of.attack?.

. •. How.will.the.success.of.the.project.be.evaluated?.

. •. How.will.the.project.be.maintained.once.it.is.implemented?

Finding the MoneyOnce.you.have.a.grant.proposal.in.mind,.you.need.to.find.the.appropriate. funder ..There.are. two.main.sources. for.funding—the.public. and.private. sectors ..Public. funders.are. usually. organizations. at. the. state. or. federal. level ..The.grants.that.they.offer.are.very.competitive.and.have.more.complex.requirements.than.other.grant.programs ..They. tend. to. fund. large-scale. projects,. which. are. usu-ally.geared.toward.school.districts.rather.than.individual.teachers .. Public. grants. may. require. partnerships. with.other. institutions. (e .g .,. libraries,. museums,. or. commu-nity. organizations) .. Typically,. public. grants. have. only.one.deadline.per.year ..

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Private. funders. are. foundations.and.corporations ..They.are.private.entities,.usually.not-for-profits,.set.up.for.the.sole. purpose. of. giving. away. money. to. support. certain.goals.or.projects ..Private.funders.are.excellent.sources.of.funding.for. individual.classroom.projects ..They.tend.to.offer.dollar.amounts.that.are.more.appropriate.for.class-room.projects.than.for.projects.at.the.district.level ..The.grant. proposal. process. can. be. much. simpler,. and. there.are.often.multiple.deadlines.each.year ..There.are.several.places.to.look.to.find.just.the.right.private.funder ..Start.by.looking.at.the.following:

. •. District.educational.foundations

. •. Top.ten.employers.in.the.community

. •. Technology.vendors

. •. Websites.such.as.The.Foundation.Center

As.you.look.for.a.funder.for.your.project,.it.is.important.to.review.the.eligibility.requirements ..Funders.are.very.specific.about.what.they.will.and.will.not.fund ..For.this.reason,. it. is. important. that.you.contact. them.for.more.information ..Keep.in.mind.that.there. is.nothing.wrong.with. asking. the. funder. for. suggestions. as. to. how. to.enhance. your. application!. It. is. important. to. figure. out.the.cost.of.each.component.in.the.total.plan.so.that.you.can.know.where.to.cut.back.if.the.whole.project.is.not.funded. (Sun.et.al .,.2000) ..Also,. consider. the.amount.of.award.money.each.organization.is.willing.to.give ..This.will.determine. if. you.need. to. submit. several.proposals.to.multiple.organizations. in.order.to.cover.the.costs.of.the.project ..Districts.can.create.three-.to.five-year.plans.and.implement.various.phases,.which.is.important.if.you.are.not.able.to.get. funding.for.each.component.of.your.technology.plan.(Sun.et.al .) ..Finally,.it.is.very.important.to.consider. the.grant.deadline .. It. takes. time. to.write.a.successful.grant ..It.is.not.something.that.can.be.done.in.a.week .

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Writing the ProposalThere.are.several.components.to.a.proposal:

. •. Proposal.summary.(or.abstract)

. •. Introduction.of.the.organization.seeking.funds

. •. Problem.statement.(or.needs.assessment)

. •. Project.objectives.or.description

. •. Project.methods.or.design

. •. Project.evaluation

. •. Project.budget

Proposal SummaryThe.proposal.summary.outlines.the.proposed.grant.proj-ect .. It. should. include.brief. statements. that.explain. the.problem,. the. solution,. the. funding. requirements,. and.information.about.the.people.involved.with.the.project ..Depending. on. the. funder’s. requirements,. the. proposal.summary.could.be.a.cover.letter.or.the.initial.page.of.the.proposal .. Regardless. of. its. location,. it. should. be. brief,.no.more.than.two.or.three.paragraphs,.or.about.250–500.words .. Oftentimes,. the. summary. is. written. after. the.grant.proposal.has.been.developed,.to.ensure.that.all.the.key.points.of.the.project.are.included ..The.proposal.sum-mary.becomes.the.foundation.of.your.proposal .. It.gives.the.grant.reader.a.first.impression.of.the.project ..In.many.cases,.the.summary.is.the.most.carefully.scrutinized.and.reviewed.part.of.the.grant.application .

IntroductionThe. introduction. is. the. place. in. the. grant. proposal. to.share. information. about. your. classroom,. the. students,.the.school,.and.the.community ..The.introduction.could.also.be.called.“Statement.of.Need .”.This.section.enables.the.reader.to.learn.more.about.the.problem.that.you.and.

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your. students. face .. It. presents. the. necessary. facts. and.evidence. that. support. the.need. for. the. grant.project .. It.helps. to. establish. that. you. recognize. the. problem. and.are.willing.to.work.to.find.a.solution ..The.information.or.statistics.that.are.used.in.this.section.can.come.from.building-.or.district-wide.sources.or.from.your.classroom.observations .

The Problem StatementThe.problem.statement.explains.the.need.or.the.purpose.of. the. project .. It. needs. to. be. supported. with. evidence.that. stems. from. specific. experiences. or. statistics. from.reliable. sources .. It. is. important. to. stay. focused. on. the.project’s.purpose.and.describe.the.present.problem .

The Project DescriptionThe. project. description. should. include. the. goal(s). and.objectives. of. the. grant. project .. “Good. goals. are. at. the.core.of.all.good.proposals”.(Sun.et.al .,.2000,.p ..220) ..The.goal. states. the. purpose. of. the. project .. The. objectives.are.the.measurable.outcomes.of.the.grant.project ..They.specify.concretely.how.the.project.will.improve.student.learning .. It. is. not. enough. to. say. you. just. want. to. buy.things.because.you.do.not.have.them;.you.must.explain.how.the.technology.will.act.as.a.tool.for.improving.the.learning.environment.(Rivero,.2004) .

As.you.consider.how.to.write.the.objectives.for.the.grant.project,.it.is.important.to.remember.that.there.are.four.different. types. of. objectives:. behavioral,. performance,.process,.and.product ..A.behavioral.objective.focuses.on.what.the.student.or.teacher.does ..A.performance.objec-tive.pertains.to.an.expected.level.of.proficiency.after.the.project.is.complete ..The.process.objective.refers.to.how.the. grant. project. will. be. documented. as. it. progresses ..The.product.objective.states.or.describes.the.final.prod-uct.that.is.generated.by.the.project .

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The MethodThe.method.section.is.where.the.project.components.are.detailed ..It.describes.the.how,.the.when,.and.the.why.of.the.grant.project ..You.need.to.describe.how.the.project.will.progress.from.start.to.finish,.when.each.component.of.the.grant.project.takes.place,.how.the.project.will.be.staffed,.and.why.the.project.is.significant.enough.to.make.a.difference.in.student.learning ..Most.funders.also.want.to.know.how.you.will.sustain.the.project.after.funding.runs.out,.so.be.sure.to.include.this.explanation .

The EvaluationThe. evaluation. component. of. the. grant. application.explains. how. the. project. will. be. evaluated .. It. should.also.explain.the.method.that.will.be.used.to.evaluate.the.project. and. who. will. be. doing. the. evaluation .. Funders.are.interested.in.technology.plans.that.measure.success,.identify.possible.problems,.and.ask.questions.for.future.research.(Sun.et.al .,.2000) ..In.addition,.this.section.must.show.a.direct.correlation.between.the.evaluation.process.and.the.goals.and.objectives.that.were.described.earlier .

The BudgetThe.budget.section.of. the.grant.application.has.several.purposes .. It. is.used. to.explain. the.project. from.a.mon-etary.standpoint ..It.should.contain.an.itemized.list.of.all.funds.needed.for.the.project,.an.itemized.list.of.items.and.funds.that.have.been.supplied.by.the.school.or.teacher,.and.an.itemized.plan.for.future.funding ..It.is.important.to.remember.that.the.budget.is.not.just.an.accounting.of.possible.expenses,.but.it.is.also.a.way.for.the.grant.seeker.to.describe.the.project.in.monetary.terms ..Most.impor-tantly,. the. budget. should. relate. all. of. the. project. costs.with.the.project.objectives.in.dollars.and.cents ..Do.not.round.numbers.up.or.down ..It.is.also.important.to.clearly.explain.how.the.budgeted.items.were.calculated .

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Things to RememberAs. you. work. through. the. grant. writing. process,. there.are. several. things. that. you. should. remember .. First. of.all,.do.not.become.discouraged.if.you.receive.a.rejection.from.a.possible.funding.source ..In.most.cases,.there.are.large.numbers.of.people.applying. for.each.grant. that. is.available,. and. the. funders. have. only. so. much. money ..Therefore,.just.because.the.grant.is.turned.down,.it.does.not. mean. that. it. is. poorly. written. or. not. worthwhile ..Sometimes,.you.can.obtain. the. reader’s. comments. and.resubmit. with. success. accruing. to. the. remarks. made.(Rivero,.2004) .

Second,. it. is.very. important.to.read.the. funder’s.guide-lines. and. instructions. carefully .. The. closer. you. follow.the. directions. and. the. presentation. requirements,. the.higher. your. chances. of. qualifying. for. funding. (Rivero,.2004) ..Make.sure.that.no.steps.are.skipped .. If.you.read.the. Request. for. Proposal. (RFP). carefully,. you. will. not.waste.valuable. time. (yours. and. theirs). by. submitting. a.proposal. that. does. not. meet. the. funding. requirements.(Sun. et. al .,. 2000) .. Because. the. funders. are. giving. away.their. money,. they. have. the. right. to. determine. exactly.what.information.they.want.to.ask.in.the.grant.applica-tion ..It.is.also.essential.that.you.do.not.try.to.make.the.funder’s.program.fit.your.project ..Your.project.must.be.in.line.with.the.funding.agency’s.priorities.and.expecta-tions .

Third,. the. project. and. all. of. its. components. should. be.innovative,. creative,. and. educational .. Funders. want. to.give. money. to. projects. that. are. unique. and. show. a. lot.of. forethought .. That. does. not. necessarily. mean. that.the.grant.project.has.to.be.a.new.idea ..There.is.nothing.wrong. with. taking. an. existing. idea. and. altering. it. to.meet.the.needs.of.a.different.grant.or.application ..Note.that.funders,.public.or.private,.will.rarely.fund.construc-tion.or.existing.operating.expenses ..They.want. to. fund.

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the. projects. that. will. make. a. difference. in. a. specific.area.of.interest ..For.the.most.part,.they.usually.invest.in.supplemental. programs .. Private. foundations. often. seek.creative. solutions. to. problems/needs,. but. they. usually.do.not.wish.to.fund.risky.projects ..It.is.important.to.keep.your.ideas.and.goals.realistic ..It.is.very.easy.to.come.up.with.a.far-out.or.really.awesome.idea.for.a.grant.project;.however,. if. the.project.or. the. goals. and.objectives. that.are.written.for.the.project.are.too.extreme,.it.is.very.pos-sible.that.the.grant.request.will.not.be.funded .

Fourth,.it.is.very.important.to.have.an.evaluation.plan ..Funders.want.to.know.if.the.projects.they.fund.will.be.successful ..They.want.to.know.if.the.project.is.meeting.its.goals.and.your.proposal.should.include.how.you.will.determine.its.success .

Fifth,. make. sure. that. your. project. is. replicable .. The.funder.wants.to.know.that.the.grant.project.can.be.dupli-cated. in.other. locations.or. situations ..Explain.how. the.project.can.be.extended.to.other.grades.or.schools .

Sixth,.have.a.reasonable,.detailed.budget ..It.is.extremely.important.to.do.the.necessary.research.on.all.costs.asso-ciated.with. the.project.prior. to.submitting. the.applica-tion ..It.is.also.very.important.to.explain.the.budget.even.if.there.are.no.requirements.to.do.so ..There.should.never.be.any.doubt.or.concern.with.regard.to.the.budget ..

Lastly,.proofreading. is.one.of. the.most. important.steps.in.the.grant.writing.process ..Spelling.and.grammar.errors.do. not. convey. a. positive. image .. The. funders. are. rely-ing.on.the.grant.proposal.as. the.first. impression .. If. the.application.is.poorly.written.or.has.multiple.mistakes,.it.tends.to.give.the.impression.that.it.was.slapped.together.or. written. in. a. hurry .. Also,. never. use. abbreviations. or.educational.lingo.that.a.“non-teacher”.would.not.under-stand ..Most.grant.reviewers.are.not.educators ..If.possible,.have.a.friend.or.family.member.who.is.not.an.educator.

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read. the. grant. application. to. look. for. education. lingo ..Even. the. term. cooperative learning. is. not. well-known.outside.of.the.education.profession .

Obtaining. grants. can. make. your. educational. projects.possible .. Do. not. let. your. classroom. budget. limit. you ..You. can. bring. unique. learning. opportunities. to. your.students,. boost. your. school’s. profile,. and. inspire. other.teachers.to.dream.a.little.bigger.by.your.example .

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Chapter Nine Reflection. 1 .. Explain.the.importance.of.following.all.of.the.directions.on.a.grant.

application .

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. 2 .. Ballard.Elementary.wants.to.install.a.community.technology.lab.in.its.school ..The.teachers.write.a.grant.asking.for.assistance.with.buying.computers,.software,.wire,.cables,.tables,.chairs,.and.other.components.needed.for.the.setup ..The.grant.proposal.also.asks.for.assistance.with.electric.bills,.Internet.access,.and.a.coordinator’s.salary ..Explain.why.you.believe.the.grant.proposal.either.will.or.will.not.be.funded .

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. 3 .. After.reviewing.the.seven.different.components.to.a.standard.grant.application,.determine.which.one.is.the.most.important ..Explain.your.reasoning .

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. 4 .. Using.one.of.the.grant.resources.from.this.chapter.or.one.of.your.own,.find.a.grant.opportunity.that.interests.you ..Explain.why.this.grant.is.applicable.to.your.classroom .

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

. . .___________________________________________________________________

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Appendix A: Resources for StudentsKids Search Engines—Search. “kids. search. engines”. for. current. resources;. here. are.some.examples.of.popular.kid-friendly.search.engines:

. •. Ask For Kids.(http://www .askforkids .com)

. •. KidsClick.(http://www .kidsclick .org)

. •. Yahooligans!.(http://www .yahooligans .com)

. •. CyberSleuth.Kids.(http://cybersleuth-kids .com)

. •. American Library Association's Great Websites for Kids..(http://www .ala .org/greatsites)

. •. First Gov for Kids.(http://www .kids .gov)

. •. AOL at School.(http://www .aolatschool .com/students)

Resources for Scientific Research—Search.“science.research.for.kids”.to.find.science.research.opportunities.for.students ..Here.are.the.resources.for.scientific.research.pro-vided.in.this.book:

. •. The GLOBE Program.(http://www .globe .gov)

. •. The JASON Project.(http://www .jasonproject .org)

. •. Global Lab Curriculum.(http://globallab .terc .edu)

. •. Center for Innovation in Engineering and Science Education..(http://www .ciese .org)

Resources for Internet Exchange Projects—Search.for.“internet.exchange.projects,”.“K–12.email.exchange.projects,”.or.“internet.exchange.projects.for.kids”.to.see.what.results.you.get ..Here.are.some.examples.of.current.internet.exchange.project.oppor-tunities:

. •. Global SchoolNet Internet Projects Registry.(http://www .globalschoolnet .org)

. •. Flat Stanley Project.(http://www .flatstanley .com)

. •. Global Virtual Classroom.(http://www .virtualclassroom .org)


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Appendices

Appendix B: Rubric Resources for Teachers

The.free.resources.listed.below.offer,.in.addition.to.rubrics,.a.range.of.downloadable.materials.including.graphic.organizers,.lesson.plans,.calendars,.and.articles,.as.well.as.links.to.other.sites ..You.could.also.search.for.“rubrics”.in.a.search.engine.to.find.additional.resources .

Name of Web Resource Description URL

Discovery School’s Kathy Schrock’s Guide for Educators

Provides an extensive bank of subject-specific and general rubrics, in addition to articles about assessment issues and links to other online rubric banks and generators.

http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/assess.html

Tech4Learning (Recipes for Success)

Provides Rubric Maker, a rubric generator, that offers customizable templates with many features including various rubric elements, categories for primary, elementary, and high school topics, suggested language, editing guidelines, and product options. When you go to the main page, click on “Tools.”

http://www.myt4l.com

Rubrics 4 Teachers Provides example rubrics and rubric-related information available in downloadable pdf files, as well as links to other teacher resources.

http://www.rubrics4teachers.com

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“Check Your Knowledge” Answer Key


Chapter One (page 12)

. 1 .. F

. 2 .. T

. 3 .. T

. 4 .. T

. 5 .. F

. 6 .. F

. 7 .. T

. 8 .. T

. 9 .. T

. 10 .. T

Chapter Two (page 32)

. 1 .. T

. 2 .. T

. 3 .. T

. 4 .. T

. 5 .. F

. 6 .. T

. 7 .. F

. 8 .. F

. 9 .. F

. 10 .. F

Chapter Three (page 57)

. 1 .. T

. 2 .. T

. 3 .. F

. 4 .. F

. 5 .. T

. 6 .. T

. 7 .. F

. 8 .. T

. 9 .. T

. 10 .. F

Chapter Four (page 91)

. 1 .. F

. 2 .. T

. 3 .. T

. 4 .. F

. 5 .. F

. 6 .. T

. 7 .. F

. 8 .. T

. 9 .. F

. 10 .. T.

Chapter Five (page 123)

. 1 .. F

. 2 .. T

. 3 .. T

. 4 .. T

. 5 .. F

. 6 .. T

. 7 .. T

. 8 .. T

. 9 .. T

. 10 .. T

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Answer Key

“Check Your Knowledge” Answer Key (cont.)Chapter Six (page 140)

. 1 .. F

. 2 .. F

. 3 .. T

. 4 .. T

. 5 .. T

. 6 .. T

. 7 .. T

. 8 .. F

. 9 .. T

. 10 .. T

Chapter Seven (page 156)

. 1 .. T

. 2 .. F

. 3 .. F

. 4 .. T

. 5 .. F

. 6 .. F

. 7 .. F

. 8 .. F

. 9 .. T

. 10 .. T

Chapter Eight (page 181)

. 1 .. F

. 2 .. T

. 3 .. T

. 4 .. T

. 5 .. T

. 6 .. T

. 7 .. T

. 8 .. F

. 9 .. F

. 10 .. T

Chapter Nine (page 195)

. 1 .. T

. 2 .. F

. 3 .. T

. 4 .. T

. 5 .. T

. 6 .. F

. 7 .. F

. 8 .. T

. 9 .. T

. 10 .. T

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GlossaryAcceptable Use Policy—a.document.with.rules.that.a.computer.user.must.agree.to.

follow.in.order.to.have.access.to.a.network.or.to.the.Internet

adware—advertising.banners.that.appear.on.the.computer.screen.when.accessing.the.Internet

antivirus software—software.that.searches.storage.devices.for.any.types.of.viruses

application—a.computer.program.that.is.designed.to.help.a.user.accomplish.specific.tasks

attachment—a.file.that.is.attached.to.an.email;.the.email.and.file.are.received.at.the.same.time

back up—to.copy.important.data.onto.a.separate.storage.device.for.safety

bookmark—a.URL.that.is.stored.for.easy.retrieval.at.a.later.date

browser—a.computer.program.used.to.navigate.the.Web

chat room—an.online.location.where.individuals.communicate.in.real.time

clip art—images,.cartoons,.or.graphics.that.are.used.to.enhance.a.document

component—a.piece.of.computer.hardware.that.is.a.part.of.the.total.system

compressing files—compacting.files.to.make.them.smaller.in.order.to.save.space

database—a.collection.of.data.that.is.organized.into.headings,.fields,.and.records

default—the.original.format.or.settings,.usually.determined.by.the.manufacturer.and.set.up.automatically.during.installation

desktop publishing—the.software.and/or.the.process.that.gives.the.user.complete.control.over.the.design,.page.layout,.or.format.of.a.document

device driver—a.small.program.that.helps.an.attached.device.communicate.with.the.computer.system

document—a.file.that.is.created.on.a.computer.and.can.be.printed.on.paper

download—the.process.of.transferring.data.from.another.computer.“down”.to.your.computer

email—text.messages.that.are.sent.over.the.Internet

�11

Glossary

ePortfolio—an.electronic.portfolio;.a.variety.of.digital.and.multimedia.files.that.are.combined.into.one.folder.in.order.to.share.information.about.a.topic.or.person

export—to.send.a.file.from.your.computer;.to.send.out.a.file.from.a.specific.software.program

field—a.category.of.information.in.a.database.file

file—information.that.is.stored.under.one.name.so.that.it.can.be.accessed.by.a.specific.software.program

file management—the.organizing.of.files.on.a.storage.device.into.different.folders

font—letters,.numbers,.and.symbols.that.represent.one.particular.design.of.a.set.of.characters

graphics—images.or.clip.art.that.are.used.to.enhance.various.documents

hardware—the.electronic.components.of.a.computer.system

hits—the.number.of.results.that.appear.when.doing.a.search.using.a.search.engine

hotlists—a.list.of.popular.or.specific.websites.that.have.a.similar.theme;.often.created.by.teachers.to.expedite.Internet.searching.by.students

import—to.bring.a.file.into.your.computer.or.into.a.specific.software.program

input device—computer.hardware.that.is.used.to.send.information.into.a.computer,.i .e .,.keyboard,.mouse,.or.touch.screen

instant message—the.exchange.of.messages.in.real.time.between.two.or.more.people

Interactive Response System—remotes.that.send.student.responses.to.teacher.questions.to.a.receiver.and.are.electronically.recorded

jump drive—a.portable.USB.storage.device

listservs—a.program.that.maintains.a.list.of.email.addresses.and.sends.a.single.email.message.to.all.email.addresses

load—to.install.software.on.the.computer.hard.drive

malware—malicious.software.that.can.damage.a.computer.system,.e .g .,.viruses,.spyware,.and.worms

modem—a.hardware.device.that.allows.a.computer.to.communicate.with.other.computers.over.a.phone.line.or.other.lines.that.transmit.data,.e .g .,.cable.and.DSL

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monitor—the.computer.screen.that.allows.you.to.see.the.information.that.the.computer.is.manipulating;.an.output.device

motherboard—the.main.circuit.board.of.the.computer.system

mouse—an.input.device.that.helps.the.computer.user.to.maneuver.around.a.computer.screen.and.in.software.programs

multimedia—using.text,.graphics,.animation,.audio,.and.video.files.to.create.a.presentation

netiquette—the.rules.of.conduct.on.the.Internet;.acting.in.ways.that.do.not.anger.or.frustrate.others.while.online

NETS—National.Education.Technology.Standards;.standards.developed.by.the.International.Society.of.Technology.in.Education.(ISTE)

network cable—a.wire.that.connects.a.computer.to.the.local.area.network

online—the.state.of.the.connection.of.the.computer.to.the.network.or.to.the.Internet

operating system—the.main.software.program.that.communicates.with.the.computer.hardware.and.software.in.order.to.process.various.tasks

output device—a.hardware.device.that.shows.information.that.comes.from.a.computer,.e .g .,.monitor,.screen,.video.projector,.or.printer

PDF file—Portable.Document.Format;.a.file.that.duplicates.the.format.and.information.of.a.document,.regardless.of.the.software.program,.to.a.read-only.document

peripheral device—an.external.device.that.is.added.onto.a.standard.computer.system,.e .g .,.printer,.mouse,.and.modem

port—a.place.on.a.computer.where.devices.(e .g .,.keyboard,.mouse,.printer,.digital.camera).are.connected,.usually.in.the.back

printer driver—the.software.program.that.provides.communication.between.the.printer.and.the.computer

printer head—the.part.of.an.inkjet.printer.that.moves.back.and.forth.as.it.sprays.the.paper.with.thousands.of.dots.of.ink

query—a.search.for.information.using.a.specific.criteria

reboot—to.restart.the.computer

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Glossary

record—all.of.the.fields.or.categories.of.information.about.one.item.in.a.database

reinstall—to.repeat.the.installation.process.of.a.program;.usually.done.when.an.error.occurs.with.the.program

rubric—evaluation.tool.that.specifies.criteria.for.each.level.of.proficiency

scan—to.convert.the.printed.page.to.a.digital.image.or.lines.of.text

scanner—the.hardware.that.reads.the.printed.page.and.converts.it.to.a.digital.image.or.lines.of.text

settings—how.the.device.is.set.up.or.configured.to.respond

software—the.instructions.for.the.computer;.a.computer.program

sound card—a.circuit.board.that.plugs.into.a.slot.inside.the.computer.to.enhance.sound.files.(wav,.midi,.etc .);.records.and.plays.back.sounds;.has.a.port.that.allows.for.input.from.a.microphone

spyware—a.computer.program.that.shares.information.about.the.user’s.Internet.access.with.a.specific.website;.program.runs.“behind.the.scenes”

system unit—the.box.and.its.contents.which.are.the.motherboard.and.other.electronic.components.of.the.computer;.also.called.a.CPU.(Central.Processing.Unit)

taskbar—a.toolbar.that.shows.the.active.or.open.applications;.usually.located.at.the.bottom.of.the.computer.screen

technology—a.device.that.is.used.to.solve.a.problem;.usually.electronic.in.nature

technology performance profiles—benchmarks.that.describe.the.skills.that.students.and.teachers.should.have.at.various.levels.of.education

templates—a.document.that.is.predesigned.or.formatted.to.help.save.time.when.creating.a.new.document

touch screen—a.screen.that.is.sensitive.to.the.touch;.special.computer.monitors.or.displays

uninstall—to.remove.a.software.program.from.a.computer

upload—to.send.a.file.from.your.computer.to.another.computer.or.device

URL—Universal.Resource.Locator;.the.specific.address.or.location.of.a.website.or.Web.page.on.the.Internet

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USB—Universal.Serial.Bus;.a.type.of.connector.used.to.connect.one.device.to.another,.e .g .,.printer.to.computer,.jump.drive.to.computer,.mouse.to.system.unit

video projector—an.output.device.that.projects.an.image.from.the.computer.onto.a.wall.size.screen;.data.projector

virus—software.that.infects.or.damages.a.computer;.can.affect.the.hardware.and/or.the.software.of.the.computer

Web browser—a.program.that.allows.you.to.view.a.Web.page.from.the.Internet.on.your.computer

Web search—searching.the.World.Wide.Web.or.the.Internet.for.information

Weblogs—a.list.of.postings.or.messages.on.a.Web.page.that.focus.on.a.particular.topic;.can.contain.editorials,.comments,.images,.or.creative.writings;.also.known.as.Web.logs.or.blogs

WebQuest—the.process.of.searching.the.Internet.for.specific.information.or.clues.about.a.specific.topic;.used.by.educators.as.Internet.projects.for.students.and.classes

WYSIWYG—“What.You.See.Is.What.You.Get”;.the.way.the.document.looks.on.the.computer.screen.is.how.it.will.look.when.it.is.printed.on.paper

zip files—.files.that.have.been.compressed.or.made.smaller.in.size


�1�

ReferencesApple.Computer,.Inc ..(1995) ..Changing the conversation about teaching learning

and technology: A report on 10 years of ACOT research..Cupertino,.CA:.Apple.Computer,.Inc ..Retrieved.June.26,.2006,.from.http://images .apple .com/education/k12/leadership/acot/pdf/10yr .pdf

Apple.Computer,.Inc ..(2006) ..Mac 101: Get started with the Mac ..Retrieved.August.12,.2006,.from.http://www .apple .com/support/mac101/

Apple Works: Simple projects (primary)..(2003) ..Huntington.Beach,.CA:.Teacher.Created.Materials .

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